Underneath
by Ryleigh Hayle
Summary: Kurt Hummel has been hiding himself under layers of clothing. Hiding his personality, his fears, his doubts and his heart. Blaine Anderson is a football player with a tough exterior and a secret. When their paths cross, will they be able to shed the layers and expose their true selves to each other? Rated R for Violence, Coarse Language and Sexually Explicit Scenes
1. Strip Away the Flesh and Bone

Chapter One

~: Kurt :~

The tall, pale boy seemed to be walking against the flow of his fellow classmates, clearly ignoring the near-constant buzz of students shuffling through the hallways anxiously chattering amongst each other. His usual near-perfect posture slightly slouched today as he smoothly sashayed through the mass of students. It was not uncommon to see him walking alone with his head down, looking at the floor, desperately clutching his shoulder satchel. He'd come to the conclusion months ago that it wasn't worth the effort to look upwards. What could he possibly have to look forward to? Awkward looks from his classmates? Getting forcefully bumped into another set of lockers? Yet another slushy facial? No, it wasn't worth it. He'd learned that it was better to keep a low profile, try to "blend" in to the crowd. Though, try as he may, he usually ended up getting tossed into a dumpster or hip-checked into the drinking fountain on a daily basis anyway. It was sadly, just the way of the world these days. That's what he got for being different.

Kurt Hummel hadn't always been a quiet kid. Up until a few months ago he'd had a group of several close friends and was actually quite outgoing. He'd enjoyed life, spending the time between classes chatting about the latest fashion trends or the recent celebrity gossip. He'd even laughed. That thought ironically brought a tiny sadistic smile to his thin, porcelain face when he realized that he couldn't remember the last time someone had made him laugh.

He could hear the whispers and the snickers as he walked along the William McKinley High School hallway, headed towards his French class. He'd learned to ignore them, or so he'd thought. But he could still hear the muttered profanities and derogatory choruses spilled his direction. His face reddened, whether with anger or embarrassment he couldn't be sure, as he turned the corner down a seemingly less-travelled hallway, only to march directly into a giant brick wall. Kurt's breath caught as he looked up ready to apologize when instantly every speck of color drained from his face.

"What the fuck are you doing homo?" It was David Karofsky, the right guard of the High School football team and Kurt's personal Satan. "Watch where you're going faggot!"

Kurt didn't even bother with his apology. He knew it would fall on deaf ears. He attempted to step out of the way only to be blocked by Azimio Adams, also a football jock and Karofsky's right-hand man. Kurt turned to look for an alternate route, but several other mammoth-sized boys wearing the stereotypical red and white letterman's football jacket obstructed his path. He felt himself being grabbed by his arms and unceremoniously tossed into the row of lockers to his left. Pain exploded behind his eyes as his head slammed into the hinge between two of the metal doors. He closed his eyes, literally seeing fuzzy dancing stars and hoped that if he stayed lying on the floor long enough that the group of jocks would lose interest and leave him alone.

Once again, fate had other ideas.

He winced as he was lifted back to his feet and tried to pull away as Karofsky pretended to dust him off. "Wow Hummel, you should really watch where you're going, you took as nasty spill there."

Kurt sighed, closed his eyes and kept his mouth shut. His head felt like it was going to explode and he couldn't promise that if he opened his mouth to speak that he wouldn't vomit all over the Jock. That really wouldn't end well.

"What's wrong Hummel?" Karofsky sneered. "Did you get your fancy new clothes dirty?"

Kurt couldn't contain the tiny whimper that escaped his lips as the hands around his arms tightened; a punishment for refusing to give in to the large boy's taunts. He heard a ripping noise and realized that one of the other boys had torn the sleeve of his new Marc Jacobs sweater. He gritted his teeth but didn't dare utter a word of complaint. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of glares from the gargantuan teenager, he was dumped to the floor and shoved and kicked by each of the passing boys as the group continued along the hallway.

It was like this every day. Surely he should be used to it by now. Still, as he picked himself up off the floor, a single tear found its way down his slender, colorless cheek.

* * *

Kurt didn't bother going to his French class. After he'd spent twenty-five minutes in the bathroom emptying the contents of his stomach and trying to re-gain his composure, there was really no point. There was no way that he was going to his last class of the day - gym class, so he snuck through the hallways and out to his shiny black Lincoln Navigator which was parked on the far end of the campus parking lot. He'd learned not to park his prized possession anywhere near the entrance of the school. Many times he'd come out of the building to find his car scratched, windows soaped, or tires slashed. He sadly recalled a couple of months ago when he'd discovered that someone had spray-painted the word "fag" onto the back bumper. He was fortunate that his father Burt owned a tire shop. Kurt had been able to sneak his car in and use some of his father's industrial strength cleaner to remove the majority of the condescending message. Kurt couldn't bare the thought of his father finding out about the abuse he took while at school. He was a single father, after Kurt's mother Elizabeth had passed away some years ago; he was forced to raise Kurt alone on an entrepreneur's salary. He'd done well, Kurt admitted. He loved his father more than anything else on this earth, but Burt had enough on his plate trying to keep the tire shop afloat and maintain the finances. Kurt knew that his father would be devastated to learn of his treatment.

Burt had been accepting, even grateful for hearing the truth when Kurt had finally admitted to him that he was gay. Burt claimed to have known all along, as only a true loving father would. But Kurt knew that his father had a hard time talking about his son's sexuality. It wasn't that he didn't accept it, but more because he couldn't understand it, at no fault of his own. Burt had done more than his fair share of educating himself to the more "intimate" knowledge regarding gay lifestyles and had been very adamant to Kurt that he was always available to talk to and ask questions. The awkward conversation hadn't last long, as both men nodded and agreed that most of it was better left unsaid.

Kurt was relieved to find that his car had remained untouched and slowly climbed into the driver's seat, wincing as his sore muscles informed him that he could expect some new bruises tomorrow. So far he'd been lucky – the majority of the cuts and bruises he'd obtained were in places that were easily covered by wearing many layers of clothing – one thing that Kurt was well known for.

He wasn't sure how he was going to hide the giant goose egg on the back of his skull tonight. His head throbbed like a dull reminder of the day's events as he started the engine and began his journey home.

* * *

"Kurt buddy? You home?"

It was later that evening and Burt Hummel had just walked through the door after work, greeted by silence. His clothes smelled of tire rubber and grease and were stained with oil and who knows what else. He looked around and was slightly surprised at how quiet their quaint 3-bedroom home appeared this evening. Usually when he came home from work he was greeted by a delicious aroma from the kitchen and the sounds of his son singing softly to himself as he prepared the meal.

Burt was truly thankful that his son had inherited his late mother's ability to cook. Kurt seemed to enjoy the opportunity to have a home cooked meal ready for his dad when he returned home from a long day's work. Burt admired the hell outta his son. He knew it must be tough at school and being afraid to show his true colors. He hadn't failed to realize that Kurt had not been acting like himself for the past few months. He figured the kids at school were still giving him a hard time. Kurt had been dealing with bullies his whole life. He was a good kid, but damn it, he'd always been a little bit different. Burt chuckled to himself as he could picture Kurt dressing up in his mom's fancy clothes, which were much to big for him at only seven years old. He fondly remembered giving his son bizarre looks when Kurt insisted on stumbling around the house in his mother's high heels. Elizabeth would only smile and say, "Leave him be Burt, he's just having fun." Burt smiled at the memory of his late wife. It wouldn't surprise him one bit if he found out that Elizabeth had known about Kurt all along. She was such a loving and devoted mother, she likely knew before Kurt himself had figured things out. His son was nearly the spitting image of his late wife, having inherited her large glasz eyes, which ironically, were both a sad reminder and a daily dose of sunshine for him.

"Kurt?" He questioned again.

Burt made his way into the kitchen, taking off his grimy ball cap and hanging it over the hook on the wall beside the hallway mirror.

He found a note on the table,

_Dad, _

_I made you a sandwich and salad. It's on the plate in the fridge. Hope you had a good day. I am not feeling very good so I headed to bed early to try and nip it in the bud. _

_Love you,_

_Kurt_

:)

Burt grinned at the smiley face his son had scrawled at the bottom of the note. His son's neat cursive had always been reminiscent of his mother's. He took the plate of food out of the refrigerator along with a cold beer and sat down on at the table and enjoyed the silence.

* * *

Kurt wasn't asleep, but he hadn't realized his father had come home until he heard the gentle knock on his bedroom door. He flinched only slightly as the door opened a crack and the light from the hallway scorched his still-closed eyes. The dull hammering in his brain escaladed into a heavy pounding and he suddenly felt nauseous again. When he managed to curb the nausea, he saw that his dad had snuck his balding head through the crack.

"pssst, you still awake?"

"Dad, who says pssst?"

Burt Hummel laughed to himself and quietly walked into his son's pristine room. He had to hand it to Kurt – he'd never once had to tell him to clean his room.

"How you feeling buddy?" he said softly, as he gently sat of the edge of his son's bed.

"I'm ok," Kurt lied. "Just a bit of a headache."

"Do you want some Aspirin?"

"Already took some." Kurt groaned louder than he'd meant to as he rolled over in the bed, strategically turning the lump on the back of his head away from his father.

"Are you sure you're ok? Do you need some water or anything?" Burt sounded genuinely concerned.

"Nah, I'm good. Just need to sleep it off."

"Ok, well, call me if you need anything." Burt replied, "I'm just going to be downstairs watching the game, okay?"

"Uh huh," was all Kurt could come up with. "G' night dad."

"Night buddy."

Kurt awoke the next morning with the migraine of all migraines. There was no way he was going to school when he couldn't even open his eyes enough to avoid bumping into the bookshelf on his way to the bathroom.

No sooner was Kurt nestled back into bed and underneath the covers, then his father entered the room carrying a glass of water and a couple of Aspirin tablets.

"Not feeling much better today hey?"

"Not even a little bit," Kurt replied with a groan, "I don't think I can go to school dad. I'm sorry."

"No worries," his dad replied, gently brushing his son's bangs off his forehead feeling for a temperature. "When I heard you slam into the bookshelf I called Principal Figgins and told him you would be absent."

Kurt stifled a chuckle. _Thank god for small miracles, _he mused. "Thanks dad"

* * *

He returned to school the following day, feeling significantly better. The lump on the back of his head had all but disappeared and the pounding migraine had been reduced to barely a dull ache. Kurt was happy it was Thursday. Glee day. The music club was really his only escape from his unfortunate reality. It was something that he dedicated himself to completely. He truly loved being able to spend time with other "not-so-popular" students without feeling the need to watch over his shoulder for any jocks to mess with him. They would gather once a week, along with Mr. Schuester, the High School Spanish teacher and perform songs relating to their weekly "homework" assignment. It was literally Kurt's only time where he could truly be himself. And he cherished every minute of it. There were only a few kids in the club, since "Mr. Schue" had only recently brought the club back to life – including Mercedes Jones, an African-American dynamic diva and Kurt's only true friend. She had stayed with Kurt during his "coming out phase" and truly supported him and his dreams to one day end up on a Broadway stage. Also in the Club were Rachel Berry – a high-strung, Barbara Streisand-like Jewish girl who nobody really liked, Tina Cohen-Chang, a quiet Asian girl with a stutter, and Artie Abrams, a wheelchair-bound nerd with a flair for music. They were literally a band of misfits. But they were Kurt's band of misfits and he wouldn't trade them for anything.

Kurt was standing at his locker attempting to smooth his perfectly coiffed hair when in the mirror behind him Mercedes appeared, wearing an enthusiastic smile.

"Hey baby!" she exclaimed with a grin, "Missed you yesterday, what happened?"

"Karofsky happened."

"Oh." Mercedes was not blind to what Kurt had been enduring since he was "outted" at school. She remembered the day very vividly. She and Kurt had just arrived to the cafeteria for lunch when they noticed that everyone was staring at them. Kurt had turned to her and asked if he had something on his face when her cell phone buzzed. She was horrified when she opened the text message that Jacob Ben Israel, McKinley's resident gossip, had spammed every cell phone in the school with:

"_Breaking news – Hummel likes boys!"_

It had been disastrous. Kurt stayed locked in the girls bathroom, bawling his eyes out with Mercedes holding him close for the remainder of the afternoon until they were sure that everyone – including the Janitors had left for the day. Kurt had faked sick for the rest of the week of school. It took a long time for her boy to build up the strength to walk the hallways of McKinley again, even if he had lost a good portion of his glittering personality along the way.

"Are you ok?" She asked her friend hesitantly.

"Yeah, nothing a few Aspirins couldn't cure." Kurt replied flatly.

"Are you coming to Glee today?"

"Yeah. I'm actually looking forward to it." Kurt said with mild enthusiasm.

"Great! Did you hear the news? We have some new members!"

"Huh?" he said, his interest peaking "Who?"

"A couple of the Cheerios and some football players." Mercedes stated matter-of-factly.

Kurt's stomach dropped to the floor. His face became pale. How could this happen? Glee club was supposed to be his safe haven. The place where football players and their ditsy cheerleader girlfriends avoided like the plague. Glee club was social suicide, they'd never willingly sign up. He must have misheard her.

He shook his head, as though trying to clear away cobwebs, "I'm sorry… what?"

"I dunno how it happened boo, but we got us some hotties!" Mercedes grinned, "You know Mike Chang? The weird Asian guy - He's coming now. And Puck too! OMG Kurt! He's soooo sexy!"

If possible, Kurt's stomach propelled even further down to the floor. Noah "Puck" Puckerman was one of his least favorite jocks. He'd treated Kurt to many dumpster dives along the way. The mohawked teen had a mean streak. He was badass.

"Oh," Mercedes continued. "And Finn Hudson."

Kurt nearly fainted.

Finn Hudson was the quarterback of the football team. He was the most popular guy in school. He dated the captain of the Cheerios. He was also Kurt's secret straight-guy crush that no one knew about. Finn Hudson was beautiful. Kurt nearly found himself daydreaming about the quarterback when reality smacked him back to the present.

"F…Finn Hudson is in Glee club?" He stuttered, leaning heavily on the row of lockers. He literally felt weak in the knees.

"You bet your sweet ass he is!" She grinned, "And he's bringing along Quinn, Santana and Brittany! Can you believe it? We might actually be gaining social status!"

Kurt felt nauseous. This was impossible. There was no way this was happening.

Mercedes rambled on, something about how she was certain Mr. Schue had to have bribed the football players into joining. She too agreed that Glee club was socially unacceptable at McKinley.

Kurt just stood in the middle of the hallway in disbelief.

"Anyways, I have to run to class now, but make sure you come today! It's going to be great!" Mercedes smiled and gave Kurt a hug. "Oh! And here are some of the new songs we're working on." She dug through her satchel and pulled out a thick stack of music sheets. "Bye boo!"

Kurt stood in the hallway stunned.

_What the hell just happened?_

* * *

Several minutes later, Kurt was absentmindedly walking through the hallway on his way to his next class, still shocked about Mercedes' recently dropped bombshell. _How was he going to handle being in Glee with the same clan of football players whose mission was to make his life miserable? How was he going to be able to sing in the same room as Finn Hudson? How was he…_

Kurt was so preoccupied that he wasn't prepared for what happened next.

A large, callused hand came out of nowhere and launched the stack of music sheets into the air. Kurt could only watch as they all floated down through the air like leaves falling from a tree. He turned his head just in time to see Karofsky and Azimio exchange a high-five and laugh as they carried on down the hallway.

Kurt just sighed and kneeled down to pick up the music sheets, which were scattered all across the hallway floor.

An unexpected hand offered him a stack of papers that had been collected from the floor. "Here you go."

Kurt turned towards the voice and jumped back slightly when he saw the red and white letterman's jacket covering the arm attached to the helping hand.

"Hey," the voice exclaimed. "Its okay. I'm not going to hurt you or anything."

Kurt didn't say a word, he just soundlessly took the stack of music sheets offered from the hand and stood up to walk away.

"Are these songs for your Glee class?"

No answer.

"You weren't in school yesterday."

"I bet that really upset you and the rest of your narcissistic friends! I wasn't here for you to toss around like a piece of garbage" Kurt hissed with acid in his voice, still refusing to make eye contact with the boy. "I _sincerely_ apologize for the inconvenience."

He missed the brief flash of genuine regret in the boy's eyes.

"Kurt, you hit your head pretty hard the other day. Are you alright?"

Kurt finally stood up, clenched his fists and gave the other boy his best bitch-face, "As if you actually care!" His voice was progressively growing louder and higher pitched with each word. "What? Did Karofsky put you up to this?"

"It's not right, the things they do to you."

"No shit!" Kurt exclaimed, "But you never really seem interested in telling them to stop, do you?" He grabbed his satchel from the floor and took off down the hallway.

"You should sing the song from _Wicked_," the voice called from behind him, "Your voice would be perfect for it."

Kurt, still muttering frustrated profanities, stopped dead in his tracks. _Huh?_

"I mean it," there was a slight pause. "You would kill it."

Kurt slowly turned around to face the football player with a cautious look and an eyebrow inquisitively arched. "What can _you_ possibly know about musicals? And who are you anyways?"

The boy grinned.

"I'm Blaine. Blaine Anderson."


	2. Look Beyond

**Author's Note:**

**I'd just like to mention – that while I am trying to follow the general timeline of the canon, please allow me some creative license to make this story my own. But also please remember - that I do not own anything or anyone you recognize! (unfortunately!)**

**Thanks and enjoy!**

**-RH**

Chapter Two

Kurt managed to steer clear of any football playing menaces for the remainder of the afternoon and was feeling almost cheerful as he walked into the choir room for Glee Club.

He hadn't made it three steps inside the room before his blood ran cold.

Noah Puckerman was in standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by the remainder of the Glee kids and was excitedly telling a story, waving his hands frantically as though it would help entice his listeners.

Rachel Berry looked awe struck. "Oh my goodness!" She stated, "Then what happened, Noah?"

"Ha! I took her back to my place and banged her brains out!" He shrugged matter-of-factly. He then added with a Cheshire cat-like grin, "twice."

Kurt had never seen anyone turn that shade of red before. Rachel genuinely looked shocked.

Puck was a player. No two ways about it. It was rumored that he'd slept with nearly every willing or eligible female student (not to mention a good number of the female faculty members) at McKinley High. He had never been modest a day in his life. Not that he'd even know what the word "modesty" meant. Where he was gifted in the physical appearance department, the muscular teen was a few bricks short of a full load. He managed to flirt his way through many of his classes (and not only the ones with female teachers). The football player was tough - built like a brick shithouse so no one ever dared to call him on his stupidity. But Kurt had come to the conclusion a while back that Puck was not as dumb as he let on. He had heard that Puck was raised by his drunk-of-a-mother after his dad had walked out on him and his little sister years ago. Kurt knew Puck had a pool cleaning business to make extra money for himself and his sister. He'd also heard that it wasn't just the pools that he provided maintenance for when employed by attractive (and often married) women.

Kurt sidestepped away from the group and took his regular seat in the back row of the chairs. He fumbled around with his phone, pretending to be texting before he heard a familiar hearty laugh echo through the classroom.

Finn Hudson had arrived.

He was dressed in jeans and his number five football jersey. It didn't make sense to Kurt why someone with such beautiful features would ever hide them underneath such an un-flattering ensemble.

Kurt had been madly in love with Finn Hudson since the first time he saw him.

He stared off into space as he recalled the day that he was rudely shoved into the lockers for the first time by no other than Noah Puckerman. Finn had been walking with Puck at the time and swatted him saying, "Dude! Impulse control!" Kurt had been enchanted by the gangly teenager ever since. He was his knight in shining armor.

Kurt was never into sports and had no desire to ever go to a football game, until he'd realized that Finn was the all-star quarterback. He'd convinced his dad to take him to a game once (so it looked like he was there to actually enjoy the game, not just the "scenery") but Kurt couldn't recall a single detail from the game itself. His eyes had stayed trained on the awkwardly tall teenager for the entire duration of the game.

Kurt's next attempt at trying to get Finn's attention involved him trying out for the football team as the kicker. The end result was bittersweet. Kurt won the team their first game, gained some respect with Finn but ended up getting slushied and tossed into the dumpster more times than usual in the following weeks. The only really good part of the whole ordeal was that it had given Kurt the courage to tell his dad the truth about his sexuality.

He then recalled the time when he had intentionally blown a high F in the song _Defying Gravity_ during the diva-off with Rachel to avoid causing his father unnecessary stress due to his son singing a song traditionally performed by women. Kurt promised himself and his dad on that day that he wouldn't hide in the closet, but he had to admit, he had significantly toned down his flamboyance and zest for life since then.

Kurt's eyes not-so-subtly followed Finn as he walked into the choir room and, after slapping Puck on the shoulder to wordlessly say hello, took a seat in the middle row just to the left of where Kurt sat nervously fidgeting.

Three identically-clad Cheerios entered the room then, looking like a small flock of arrogant birds. They were lead by Quinn Fabray, the blonde Cheerio captain and girlfriend of Finn Hudson. Kurt hated her. Not only because she had staked a claim to his "man" but because she was just a genuinely mean person. Although she had of course, never wasted a breath on him since about fifth grade, Kurt frequently watched her, in envy, and found himself despising the ease at which she strolled through life. When Kurt got basically stampeded and stomped in the hallway, people literally parted and allowed her a clear path. All of the boys fawned over her and all of the teachers loved her. She was the president of the Celibacy Club and a supposed Christian through and through. Kurt however, saw right through her façade, and it made him hate her even more.

Strutting along behind Quinn was Santana Lopez, who was the female equivalent of Noah Puckerman. The feisty Latina was co-captain of the Cheerios squad and had a tongue sharper than steel and the wit to go with it. She was hot-tempered and quick on her feet and always seemed to vie for even half the attention that was often given to her Cheerio counterpart. She was raised in Lima Heights Adjacent, a rough neighborhood literally on the other side of the tracks and could put even Dave Karofsky in his place when the situation was warranted. No one ever messed with Santana Lopez.

Strolling alongside Santana was Brittany S. Pierce, who was the polar opposite of both Quinn and Santana. Kurt doubted that there was a mean bone in the tall Cheerio's body. They'd actually dated once. But that was a long time ago before he'd come to his senses and Kurt refused to think about that subject any further. Brittany was an innocent as a newborn baby. Her blonde hair was almost always pulled up into a tight ponytail that swished as she walked. To say that Brittany was naïve would be the understatement of the century. She was so gullible that she was commonly mistaken for stupid. She had a childlike imagination and was one of the most caring and genuine people Kurt had ever met.

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Schuester into the classroom. The sweater vest-clad teacher strolled in and set a stack of music books on top of the piano. "Good afternoon guys and girls!"

The rest of the group quickly ended their conversations, dispersed and found their seats. Kurt noted that there was still an obvious segregation between the old members of the Glee club and the newest additions. Quinn sat so close to Finn that their arms were touching and Kurt felt a pang of jealousy. Puck sat up in the top row and slouched down in his chair looking bored already. Mike Chang sat in the front row next to Tina. Kurt noticed him turn to the shy girl and give her a smile.

"Okay guys," Mr. Schue started, "I'm assuming you all know each other? Do we need to do any introductions?"

After a brief silence he continued, "Alright then, welcome to New Directions! Let's get started!"

He walked over to the whiteboard and picked up a blue dry erase marker and wrote the word _ballad_ on the board.

"Ballad." He said. "From the Middle English word _balade_. Who knows what this word means?"

Brittany was the first to speak up, "It's a male duck."

Confused glances spread throughout the room.

"A ballad is a love song." Kurt corrected.

"Not always. Ballads are stories set to music, which is why they are the perfect storm of self expression." Mr. Schue explained. "There is a new rule for sectionals this year; we have to perform a ballad."

There were several groans heard from around the room.

"Here's the assignment for this week. I am going to pair you off, and I want you to pick a ballad to sing to your partner." The teacher explained, walking over towards the black piano.

"I pick Quinn" Kurt heard Finn say quickly.

"No no no. Too easy." said Mr. Schue, pulling out a top hat. "Partners will be chosen by fate."

"I bet the duck's in the hat." Brittany whispered to no one in particular.

"Whosever name you choose is your partner and you will perform your songs tomorrow."

Puck walked up to the piano and drew the first name. He looked appalled when he announced that he'd drawn Mercedes' name. She looked equally annoyed.

Artie was pleased to draw Quinn, who watched in disgust as Finn went up to draw his own partner's name from the hat.

Kurt held his breath, anticipating that he would likely draw Rachel's name. He hadn't failed to notice their sudden attraction to one another.

_Was there anyone in this school that wasn't in love with Finn Hudson?_

He watched as Finn pulled a card out of the hat and read the name.

"Kurt." Finn said taken aback.

Kurt paled. _Oh shit._

Finn ignored the chorus of giggles permeating around the choir room and looked at his teacher. "Mr. Schue, I don't think I can do this with another guy."

"The fates have spoken Finn." The teacher announced, and more giggles could be heard around the room as Finn shuffled back to his seat.

Kurt was still in shock. _Oh double shit._

It was then Tina's turn to choose and her card read, "Other Asian." Mike looked bewildered at the announcement, but not entirely disappointed.

When Santana pulled Brittany's name from the hat, they both cheered excitedly, then Rachel announced that she would be doing her duet with Mr. Schuester, who looked mildly disturbed.

Rachel decided it was necessary to give (yet another) impromptu performance, and began singing an awkward rendition of _Endless Love_ (in B flat) with the teacher, who looked more and more uncomfortable as the performance went on.

Kurt barely noticed.

_I can totally sing this song with Finn, _he thought to himself._ But screw him if he thinks he's taking the Diana Ross part from me._

**Author's Note:**

**A big THANK YOU to everyone who has checked out my story. This is my first attempt at fan fiction and the first time I've ever been brave enough to publish anything I've written! **

**(Watching Glee has given me ~~COURAGE~~) **

**So I would love to get some feedback from my readers so I know how I'm doing! **

**Thanks in advance!**

**-RH**


	3. The Lies You've Known

**Author's Note:**

**I just wanted to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to 'msdarque' for leaving my very first review! It's quite fun and exciting to realize that real people are actually interested in my story! **

**Chapter Two involved a lot of plot development. I know it may have been a little boring, but it's necessary. Thanks for sticking with me. Chapter Three gives us a little more of what I know you are all waiting for - another appearance by our favorite curly haired football player. But is it going to be what you expect?**

**Enjoy!**

**-RH**

Chapter Three

Kurt never imagined that Finn would ever ask to spend any alone time with him, so when the lanky football star approached him near the end Glee Club, it took all of his strength not to crumble to the floor in a puddle.

"Hey, umm… Kurt?"

_Oh sweet Gaga. He knows my name. _

Kurt just looked up at him like a deer caught in the headlights for a few moments before Finn continued with a slightly pink hue in his cheeks, "Do you… maybe… want to meet in the auditorium after class and figure out this ballad stuff?"

Kurt suddenly realized he was still standing there with his mouth open, looking like an idiot so he subtly shook himself, "Yes!" He squeaked, and then he coughed, attempting to bring his voice back down to its normal pitch, "I mean… Sure. That would be fine."

Finn didn't seem to notice the other boy's momentary lapse of limited self-control, "Ok, meet me there in 15 minutes. We can work on it until 5, cuz then I have football practice." He then turned around and walked out of the choir room with Quinn, who'd been waiting for him in the doorway.

It took more than a couple of minutes for his brain to catch up to what had just happened.

_Did Finn Hudson just ask me out?_

* * *

Kurt spent the remainder of his 15 minutes in the bathroom freshening up and ensuring that his perfectly coiffed hair had remained perfectly coiffed. He sprayed about half a can of hairspray on his hair and re-applied his favorite cologne (which he kept hidden underneath the sink in the bathroom) before setting out in search of his one true love.

Finn was already waiting for him on the stage when Kurt arrived.

"Hey," Finn said. "Thanks for helping me with this."

"It's my pleasure." Kurt replied with his best smile. "Have you thought about what song you want to do?"

The quarterback deliberated for a few minutes. "I don't really know any songs that tell stories."

"Well," Kurt hesitated, gathering up the courage to continue, "I'm sure there is something that you've always wanted to say but you just didn't know how to get the words to come out properly, right?"

Again, Finn was lost in his own thoughts.

Kurt noted his hesitation.

"Finn?" He asked slowly, "Is there something you want to say to me?"

Another hesitation.

"Dude… you're ummm… well, you're gay right?" He stuttered.

Kurt swallowed the elephant-sized lump in his throat, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes."

"How did you find the guts to tell everyone?"

"I didn't." Kurt answered bitterly. "Jacob Ben Israel did that for me."

"Oh, right." Finn looked slightly embarrassed.

"Why do you ask?" Kurt offered quietly, "Is there something about you that you wish everyone knew about?"

He took a deep breath and moved closer to where Finn sat and put a hand on the taller boy's shoulder, his heart beating so loudly he was afraid that the other boy might notice.

"No. I just never met anyone gay before and I think it's kinda cool that you're such a normal dude. I think you are brave for being so okay with who you are and not afraid to show it." Finn shrugged.

_Well that wasn't what I wanted to hear._

"Uhhh, thanks. I think." Kurt's shoulders sagged slightly and he backed a few inches away from Finn and removed his hand from the other boy's shoulder. This was definitely not going how he'd planned.

"How do you deal with all the garbage people say about you and stuff?"

Kurt scoffed. "I try to ignore them. And I focus on the things that make me happy. Like Glee club. There I am surrounded by people that don't care that I'm gay. I'm just another member of the group that loves to sing. It's also a great way to vent your frustrations – you've gotta let it out."

"How?"

"By singing!" Kurt stood up and walked over to the piano. "Do you know 'I'll Stand by You' by the Pretenders?"

Finn grinned and stood up on the stage as Kurt began playing the song. He sang with all his heart, and Kurt played beautifully, not missing a single note. Thankful for all of the piano lessons he'd taken over the years.

When they finished the song together, Finn walked over to the piano and sat on the bench beside Kurt.

"Thanks dude," he said, "That was really cool."

"Of course Finn. I would help you with anything. I love spending time with you." The last part slipped out before Kurt could think about what he was saying. His face flushed.

The quarterback seemed not to have noticed. He was staring off into space again.

"Kurt?"

"Yes, Finn?"

"Your mom died right?" He said. "I mean, when you were younger?"

Kurt's head shot up. _That was unexpected._

"Uh yeah, when I was eight."

"My dad died when I was a baby. I don't even remember him." Finn said sadly.

"Finn, I'm sorry. I didn't know that." Kurt exclaimed softly, "Are you ok? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm ok. It just makes me sad sometimes, you know? To think about him. He was in the Marines. He died in the Middle East or something."

"What was his name?" Kurt asked.

"Christopher." Finn said looking up. "My mom still really misses him. I know she does. Even though it's been so many years. I know she still misses him."

"My mom's name was Elizabeth. My dad still misses her too." Kurt offered. He hadn't realized that he and Finn had something so special and so important in common. "I don't think you ever really get over losing a spouse."

"We still have his old furniture in the living room." Finn said with a smile. Then he pulled his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans and took out a folded, faded and slightly wrinkled photo. "This is him sitting in his favorite recliner. That's me." He added, pointing to a small baby in the man's arms. "It's the only picture we have of him and me together."

Kurt could feel the emotion welling up behind his eyes as he looked at the quarterback. He'd never dreamed that he would be sitting alone with Finn, let alone having him pour his heart out to him like this.

"It's ok to miss him Finn." Kurt said after a few minutes of silence. He risked putting his hand back on Finn's shoulder and rubbed gentle circles with his fingers. "He was your dad. It's ok to miss him."

The teen nodded and nonchalantly sniffled and Kurt could tell that he too was fighting back tears. Finn then stood up and wiped a sleeve across his moistened eyes and looked back down at Kurt.

"I have to go. I've got football practice and I really don't want to be late."

Kurt smiled, although sad that his storybook afternoon was coming to a close. "Of course. Can I at least walk you down to the field?" Then he quickly added, "It's on the way to my car anyways"

Finn chuckled innocently, gaining his composure once again. "Sure, why not?"

The improbable duo walked down the steps of the auditorium and in the direction of the football change rooms.

Kurt wasn't sure why he offered to go with Finn. On any other occasion he would stay as far away from the locker rooms as he could. Usually the thought of being surrounded by the rest of the big ugly football players scared the bejesus out of him, but this had been the best (date?) ever and he wanted to soak up every minute he could with Finn Hudson.

"Finn!" A voice shouted from somewhere behind them as they approached the entrance to the locker rooms a few minutes later. "Wait up!"

Kurt and Finn halted their casual conversation and both turned around to see a boy who looked too small to be wearing football gear approaching them with a McKinley Titans duffle bag and huge grin.

"Hey man, how's it going?" Finn asked once the boy had caught up.

The curly-haired boy had made his way between Kurt and Finn and was now walking sandwiched between them.

"Great!" He replied with a brilliant smile, and then he added, "Kurt, are you joining the football team again or something?" His big brown eyes glittered as he looked over at the other boy.

_Again? _Kurt thought to himself._ How does he even know I was on the football team? Isn't he new here? That was months ago. _

"Uhhh no." Finn supplied. "We were just working on…uh…some homework. Kurt was helping me out."

"I see. And does Kurt speak for himself or…?"

"Actually yes, I do. Thanks for noticing _Blair_." Kurt interrupted sourly.

Finn looked extraordinarily confused by Kurt's abruptness.

"It's Blaine, actually." The boy had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "Did you sing that song?"

"No"

"Oh. Well I still think you should. It's a great song." Blaine said, shrugging the duffle bag back up onto his shoulder after it had slid down.

"Yeah, thanks. I hadn't _noticed_." Kurt hissed, eyes narrowing.

Finn, looking even more baffled, took the opportunity to cut in. "Do you two know each other?"

"Yes." Blaine answered with yet another smile at exactly the same time that Kurt huffed "No."

Finn was at a loss. _Huh?_

"We met earlier today in the hallway." Blaine stated.

"Yeah, after you and your gang of thugs attacked me on my way to class." There was hatred in Kurt's voice as he glared at the shorter boy.

"You attacked him?" Finn said incredulously, turning towards Blaine.

"No! Well, Karofsky kinda nudged him a little but…" Blaine began but Kurt stopped walking and pointed a thin white finger in the face of the shorter boy, causing Blaine to come to an abrupt halt to avoid having the finger jab him in the eye.

"Nudged a little bit hey?" Kurt said, now in full bitch mode. "Is _that_ what that was?"

Blaine's bushy eyebrows furrowed, he swallowed and began to form a reply but was cut off once again by Kurt and his still wagging finger.

"I suppose that's what that was the other day then too, right? A _nudge_ into that locker?"

Blaine looked hurt.

"What the hell is going on?" Finn was so confused at this point that he just kept looking from one boy to the other, hoping that someone would explain the situation.

"Forget it." Kurt huffed, still glaring at Blaine. He looked him right in the eyes then added, "He's not worth my time."

Kurt spun on a heel, turning away from the two football players and started in the direction of the parking lot.

"I'll see you tomorrow in Glee Finn." He then stomped away, with a red face and smoke billowing out his ears behind him.

"Kurt, wait!" He heard Blaine shout. "I told you I was sorry about that!"

Kurt clenched his fists and continued storming off in the opposite direction. _How dare he? That asshole just ruined my perfect afternoon! _

"Go to hell Blake!"

**Author's Note:**

**Uh oh… you guys didn't think it was going to be **_**that**_** easy did you? ;)**

**Thanks for reading! **

**-RH**


	4. Everybody Wants to Talk

**Author's Note:**

**I just wanted to mention that yes – I am using some actual dialogue from the canon. I felt that it would give my story a little more realism if you could actually picture the characters saying some of the lines. If you pay close enough attention as the story continues, you'll find these lines scattered throughout… But not necessarily where you might expect to find them.**

**On that note – I (unfortunately) do not own Glee or any of the characters you recognize. (If I did own Glee there would have been significantly more Klainebows and Klisses in the season finale) **

**:)**

**ENJOY!**

**- RH**

* * *

Chapter Four

The next day at school Kurt was walking down the hallway when he heard someone whisper his name.

He turned in the direction the voice had come from, but saw no one.

"Hey Kurt." The voice said again. "Can you come in here for a second?"

Finally Kurt located the source of the whisper. He'd know those eyes anywhere.

Finn was in the boy's bathroom and was peeking through a tiny crack in the door.

Kurt's brows furrowed as he entered the bathroom hesitantly. He couldn't quite contain his soft gasp when he saw the quarterback turn and lock the door behind them with a soft click.

"Dude, you gotta help me."

Kurt shrugged his leather messenger bag farther up onto his shoulder, looking perplexed. "Finn, what's going on? Are you alright?"

Finn hesitated. He looked at Kurt and said, "No. Not really."

Kurt was worried but he didn't say anything, instead, he waited patiently for the other boy to continue.

"I… uh… kinda have a problem." Finn finally admitted a few moments later. His face flushed with apparent embarrassment.

Kurt's curiosity peaked as he watched as the taller boy slowly removed his arms from where he'd had them crossed them across his wide chest, revealing a large purple stain on his football jersey.

"It's jelly." Finn said with a look of shame. "Blueberry."

Kurt stifled a laugh.

"It must have fallen off my toast this morning and I didn't realize until I got to school! I can't walk around like this! Quinn will kill me! And Rach… uh… yeah… Quinn will definitely kill me."

Kurt didn't miss the slip up.

He sighed, moved towards the other boy and after a closer inspection of the stain, looked up into his eyes.  
"It's not that bad Finn." He lied. "It's hardly noticeable."

Finn scoffed. "You don't know Quinn. She's gonna be pissed!"

Kurt went over to the sink and dampened a piece of paper towel under the faucet. He made his way back over to the quarterback slowly and hesitantly put his hand on his chest, rubbing the paper towel over the stain.

Kurt was forced to take a deep inhalation, as his brain finally realized he had been forgetting to breathe. He was touching Finn Hudson!

_More like caressing him_. The thought sparked a twinkle in his eye.

He put his other hand over the boy's collarbone to put himself in a better position to attack the stain. It wasn't working.

"Take your shirt off."

The words left his mouth before he'd considered the intensity of them.

Finn, looking aghast, blinked several times before stuttering, "Wh..what?"

Kurt's mind raced to come up with a sensible and logical string of words to form together. _What was he thinking?_

"Uhhh, I am going to need to run it underneath the faucet a little bit. The stain's not coming out."

"Oh! Ok then." Finn said nonchalantly, pulling his jersey up over his head.

Kurt nearly had a coronary as he glanced up at exactly the right moment to see Finn's undershirt slide up with his football jersey, exposing his not quite toned, but milky smooth stomach momentarily.

The quarterback flushed again, handing Kurt his jersey. "Thanks Kurt. I really appreciate this…"

Kurt's eyes were still trained on the now undershirt-clad abdominal muscles. He mentally shook himself before looking up and giving Finn a nod. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet.

He took the shirt over to the sink and began scrubbing at the purple stain. Trying to keep his composure and maintain what little dignity he had left.

"Kurt?" Finn said quietly. "Can I tell you something?"

Kurt looked up into the mirror at the reflection of the boy standing behind him and nodded, "Of course."

"I really admire you."

It was now Kurt's turn to feel the heat rise up into his face. His eyes widened, and he intentionally returned his attention to the shirt, mindlessly scrubbing away.

"I think it's amazing how you aren't afraid to show the world who you really are." Finn's words brought the warmth down from Kurt's face and into his chest. He swelled with pride and adoration.

"Like yesterday with Blaine? He told me about how some of the other guys are giving you a hard time. But it doesn't get you down. You keep getting back up and doing your thing."

_If you only knew. _

Kurt swallowed and gave Finn a sincere look of appreciation. "Thanks Finn. That means a lot coming from you."

He continued scrubbing at the stain until it was barely noticeable then he sponged off the excess moisture with a dry paper towel.

"There," he said handing it back to Finn. "Good as new."

The boy beamed, taking the jersey from the thinner teen. He had begun to pull it up over his head, when it bunched up in the back and got stuck around his neck.

"Gak!"

Kurt instinctively reached up and unwound the fabric, but in the struggle Finn's white undershirt had ridden up and now Kurt was pressed up to Finn's exposed chest. He could feel Finn's soft skin and the tight muscles of his torso rubbing gently against his chest.

They both stilled, Finn looking down into Kurt's eyes for what seemed like an eternity before taking a deep breath, "Kurt…"

"Finn I…" He panted. Actually panted.

But he was interrupted as a pair of lips crashed down onto his.

Kurt's world exploded into a million glittering pieces as everything seemed to stop existing around him. A feeling of warmth from Finn's mouth invading his own created shockwaves, sending them all the way down Kurt's spine. Finn moved his arms around Kurt and pressed his large hands into the boys back, pulling him closer still.

Their lips moved together, as their mouths hungrily began exploring each other. Finn's tongue licked at Kurt's plump and now swollen lips, anxiously asking for permission to enter. Kurt obliged by opening his lips and he felt a torrent of adrenaline hit and his knees grew weak when Finn's tongue began its expedition inside his mouth.

Finn's strong hands moved lower on Kurt's back and found their way to his round, firm ass.

Kurt could not contain his astonishment, and a yelp escaped his lips as the larger boy cupped his ass with both of his hands and lifted the boy up off the floor, placing him onto the sink behind them.

Kurt wrapped his legs around Finn's waist and he pulled his knees together, bringing the boy closer to him, until he could feel the hardness inside Finn's jeans rubbing against his own inner thighs.

Finn groaned, "Mmmm Kurt, I have wanted you for so long."

Another wave of heat and passion surged through Kurt's veins as he began frantically groping the other boy's ass.

Finn stood up and removed both his jersey and his undershirt before wrapping his arms around Kurt and pulling off his black cardigan and his long sleeved Alexander McQueen top.

They both stared at each other for several moments, gasping and trying to catch their breath.

Finn reached down and caressed Kurt's naked chest. He moved his fingers across his pointed clavicles and ran a muscular hand down his ribcage, his mouth gently nibbling and sucking, leaving a damp trail in its wake.

Kurt couldn't contain the shudder that overtook his body.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, pulling his knees closer and locking his feet together behind Finn's back, pulling the boy seemingly impossibly closer.

Finn moved his hands lower yet, reaching towards the button on Kurt's jeans. He looked up at the boy and received a nod of permission.

His fingers clumsily fumbled with the button and then slowly, painfully he lowered the zipper and was just about to reach his hand inside when a shocked voice pulled them from their reverie.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry! I just needed to use the…" The voice stammered.

Finn jumped away from Kurt as though he had been burned, dropping the boy unceremoniously onto the vanity of the sinks. Kurt's head bounced off the mirror and stars sprung up into his eyes.

"Finn?" The voice exclaimed, "What the fuck?"

Kurt shook his head, attempting to clear out the cobwebs from his contact with the mirror. He'd finished fumbling with the button of his jeans and was reaching for his sweater before he finally looked up at the unwelcomed intruder.

_No fucking way._

"Blaine?" He shrieked, exasperated.

The boy somehow looked both mortified and guilty. "H-Hey Kurt."

Kurt's brain could hardly even form words. "H-how d-did you get in here? The door was locked!"

Blaine's face reddened. "I dunno… It just opened."

Finn meanwhile, had disappeared into one of the bathroom stalls and was nowhere to be seen. It was as though the moment Blaine had made his unannounced (and most unwelcomed) appearance, Finn was non-existent.

_I can't believe this Neanderthal has interrupted us again. Oh god! What if he tells! Finn is going to get crucified! He is going to hate me! What if…_

He didn't get to finish the thought.

"Kurt…I'm not going to say anything."

It was as though the boy had read his mind.

He finally risked a glance up from the floor and looked Blaine in the eyes. Kurt noticed immediately that the boy had a genuine look of concern on his face.

_How did this happen? One minute I was… well… really enjoying myself and the next…_

"Kurt?" Blaine said again, looking awkwardly at the taller boy. "Are you ok?"

No answer.

"Kurt?" He repeated.

Kurt felt like he was sinking into the floor. He suddenly couldn't feel his limbs.

_This is it. I'm dying. I am dying of embarrassment right now._

"Kurt?"

_Oh god. I can't breathe. _

"Kurt buddy, can you hear me?"

_I didn't even get to have sex yet! I can't die a virgin!_

"Kurt?" The voice sounded slightly different this time.

_I just want to touch Finn again. Just one more time before I go. Just one more kiss?_

Kurt suddenly felt extremely cold. He shivered as a cool breeze ruffled his hair and his eyes burned as everything around him faded into a scorching white light. Blaine disappeared from in front of him and the bathroom no longer existed.

"Kurt come on, you have to wake up!"

_This is what it feels like to die?_

"Come on Kurt! You're going to be late."

_Mom? Are you there? I'm coming mom!_

"Mom?" Kurt mumbled sleepily.

"Uhh… not quite." The voice said. "Come on buddy. I've been calling you for like half an hour."

"Blaine?"

"Who the hell is Blaine?"

_Uh oh._

Kurt rolled over, his senses finally coming back to him when he saw his father's familiar face. He was standing beside his bed. In his room. At his house.

_You have got to be kidding me._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I bet you were getting worried…**

**Tricked ya! :)**

**I would love some reviews! Let me know what you think!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-RH**


	5. About a Freak

Chapter Five

To say that breakfast was a little awkward was an understatement. Kurt had intentionally taken his time showering and completed his most in depth moisturizing routine in hope that his father would have already left for the tire shop by the time he snuck into the kitchen for his morning cup of coffee.

No such luck.

"So, who's this Blaine you were mumbling about?"

_Wow, that was subtle dad._

"Who?" Kurt asked, feigning ignorance. Truthfully, he wished he could slide underneath the table and disappear.

"I was sorta hoping you could tell me." Burt said, taking a slurp of his coffee. "You were moaning his name Kurt."

Kurt dropped the banana he'd just peeled. "Jesus Dad!" He squeaked. "I was not!"

Burt laughed, "Ahhh… so you do know who he is!"

Kurt looked at the floor, not saying a word. He was thankful that his father had no idea of what had really gone on in Kurt's subconscious as he'd slept.

Kurt blushed a bit as he recalled the details from his dream. _Where did that come from?_

Not that he was complaining. He'd had dreams about Finn before, but never of that magnitude. Kurt was mildly embarrassed at the extent of the details of the dream. He had never been with a boy before; never even kissed one, so for his imagination to come up with a plot of that intensity_… wow._

Kurt was also thankful that his father had left his room immediately after rousing him from his slumber that morning. Things would have been unbearably mortifying if he'd stuck around and noticed that Kurt had really _enjoyed_ the dream. As it turned out, there were multiple reasons why he'd taken so long in the shower.

"Kurt?" He barely heard his father speak. He was still wrapped up in the memory of Finn's soft skin. How had his brain come up with such extraordinary detail? It was almost as though he could still smell the quarterback's aftershave.

"Kurt?" His father said again. "Are you still with me buddy?"

"Hmmm?" Kurt replied in a daze, looking up at his father with blown pupils and a drunken grin.

"Who's Blaine?"

_Oh_

"He's an asshole." Kurt scoffed, narrowing his eyes. His mind suddenly concluding that the curly haired boy had unknowingly and indirectly interrupted his 'Finn time' for what was now the third time.

Burt never spoke, but he looked at his son directly with words of confusion written on his face.

Kurt sighed. "He's one of the football players at school."

"Is he giving you a hard time?"

_Quite the opposite actually._

"Uhhh… kinda." Kurt supplied casually, picking at the banana peel he'd left on the counter.

"Is he a bully?"

Kurt looked up. Blaine really hadn't done anything hurtful or malicious to him. He'd never personally tossed him into a dumpster or body slammed him into the lockers. So he probably couldn't classify him as a bully per say. Although Blaine had never done anything to prevent the dumpster dives or body slams either. Plus - it wasn't like Kurt could tell his father 'no, but he keeps interrupting me from getting my sex on with Finn Hudson.'

"He's just rude."

Burt scoffed, "Rude enough to be making you have nightmares about him Kurt?"

_That was anything but a nightmare._

"I'm fine dad. Really."

"Is he homophobic Kurt? Is he saying hurtful things to you? So help me god, if he is, I'm gonna go down to that school and I'm gonna…"

Kurt interrupted him before he could continue. "No dad. _He's_ not that bad."

Burt narrowed his eyes, "But there is someone who _is_ that bad?"

_Damn it. _

Kurt had been able to avoid this conversation up to this point. He didn't want his father knowing about the shit he had to deal with every day at school. Kurt could take care of himself. He had to.

"No dad." Kurt huffed, picking up the textbooks from the table and stuffing them into his messenger bag. "I'm fine. Everything is good so stop worrying."

Kurt tossed his banana peel into the trash bin, rinsed his coffee cup in the sink and picked up his bag. He'd started towards the door when his father spoke again. "Tonight is that parent-teacher thing right?"

Kurt nodded. "Yes. You are to meet with Mr. Schuester at seven."

"Ok, are you going to come with me?"

"Sure. What do you want for dinner tonight? I'll have it ready and we can go right after we finish."

"If I suggest that you can choose the meal, is it going to be some tofu health nut crap?" Burt said with a sickened look on his face. He shuddered as he recalled the horrid taste of the green goop that Kurt had insisted he eat the day before.

Kurt chuckled, "I'll see what I can come up with dad."

* * *

Kurt didn't know when the idea came to him, in fact, he was slightly disturbed that he hadn't thought of it sooner, but it was instantly his best plot yet. His dad was a widow. Finn's mom was a widow. Perhaps they could provide each other with some long awaited comfort? Their parents would never actually 'get together' per say ('cuz that would just be gross) but it would be a phenomenal opportunity to spend time with Finn.

As he and his father walked into the McKinley High School and down the hallway towards the choir room where Mr. Schuester was holding his parent teacher meetings, Kurt couldn't help but pat himself on the back.

He spied Finn and his mother coming from the other direction and noticed that they too were headed towards the classroom. Kurt's smug smile turned into a full grin as he watched his love interest chat animatedly with his mother. Kurt sped up their pace slightly and timed his entrance perfectly, knowing that his father would undoubtedly yield to let a lady walk into the classroom first.

"Here, let me get that for you." Burt predictably said, reaching for the door just as Carole Hudson was about to do the same.

"Oh, well thank you… uh…"

"Burt!" Kurt spoke up, subtly nudging his father towards Carole. "Burt Hummel. I'm Kurt. I'm in Glee club with Finn."

Carole reached out her hand towards Burt, "It's a pleasure to meet you Burt."

Burt grinned and accepted her hand, grasping it gently in his own and offering her a friendly handshake. "Nice to meet you as well."

Finn, up to this point, had been standing awkwardly beside his mom. Kurt moved over beside him and looked up at the taller boy with a smile as he watched their parents continue what seemed like a very friendly conversation. "Looks like they're hitting it off hey Finn?"

"Uhhhh yeah, I guess so." The quarterback answered with a shrug.

"So Finn," Kurt asked shyly, "When is your next football game?"

"We have a game tomorrow night."

"Ohhh, exciting! I hope you win!" Kurt said with mock enthusiasm. He really couldn't care less about the game. All he was thinking about was Finn Hudson wearing tight football pants.

"Yeah, we are playing against the Raiders and we beat them last time so it should be a good game."

"I'm kind of clueless when it comes to football. You should fill me in on some of the rules sometime." Kurt literally batted his eyes at the awkwardly naive teenager.

Kurt was absolutely not clueless. He'd heard his father screaming at the TV many times about touchdowns, illegal blocks, incomplete passes and field goals. He had even managed to sit through a game or two with his dad. Good male bonding experience apparently. Unbeknownst to his father, Kurt had secretly been playing a fashion designer game on his iPhone the entire game.

Kurt was just about to shuffle even closer to the taller teen when suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder and he felt someone come up behind him.

"Hey guys!"

Blaine Anderson had done it once again.

Kurt could feel his face getting hot. _How does this midgety hobbit manage to literally sneak his way into every one of my conversations with Finn. Is he planning this?_

Kurt had to refrain himself from throwing a full blown tantrum. He pictured himself lying on the floor screaming and kicking his legs up and down. Probably not the most attractive pick up maneuver.

"Oh hey Blaine!" Finn almost sounded relieved. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I might find you two here." The curly haired boy said with a mischievous grin, "Just thought I'd pop over and say hi!"

"Are your parents here too?" Finn asked.

Kurt didn't miss the miniscule instant that Blaine's features darkened. His golden eyes turned almost black and his eyes narrowed, if only for a moment.

As fast as the look had appeared, it was gone from the boy's handsome face. Kurt couldn't even be certain if he'd actually even seen it.

"Nah," Blaine said with a sigh, "They're both working right now so I'm just here to talk with Coach Beiste."

Finn nodded and looked away. He noticed that his mom was still busy chatting away with Burt Hummel. She now had her hand on his left arm and looked like she was really enjoying the story he appeared to be telling. Finn noticed Quinn walk in with her parents and walked over to say hi.

Kurt's stare remained on the smaller boy. _What was that look?_

Blaine noticed Kurt's stare and looked over at him, quickly regaining his composure and pasting a smile on his chiseled, olive-toned face.

"Kurt." He said with a nod. "How are you doing tonight?"

Kurt recalled that he was suppose to be hating this jock and considered just glaring and storming off in a Rachel Berryesque huff, but something inside him told him that Blaine really was trying to be polite.

"I'm fine thank you." He said shortly. "How are you Blaine?"

Blaine's facial expressions immediately brightened and Kurt noticed a sparkle appear in his eyes.

"Great! I'm great!"

Kurt was bewildered at the sudden change in the boy's appearance. He'd gone from looking like he was going to commit murder only seconds ago to appearing ready to run over and give him a hug.

"Look Blaine," Kurt started slowly. "I know that I probably said some things yesterday that I really shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

Blaine looked shocked. "Kurt. Don't apologize. After all the shit that the guys on the team pulled with you, I'm surprised you didn't punch me out."

Kurt scoffed. "I'm not really into violence."

"Right… Sorry." Blaine looked slightly embarrassed. Kurt noticed a gentle pink glow flood up his neck and into his cheeks.

Kurt looked down at the floor and the two boys shared a moment of awkwardness. Neither of them knowing where to take the conversation from that point.

"You like Finn right?" Blaine suddenly blurted out.

Kurt's head snapped up, his eyes wide. _Did he hear that right?_

"Wh-what?"

Blaine chuckled and looked around the room, as though checking to see if anyone may be in the vicinity to overhear what he said next. He moved closer to Kurt and looked him right in the eyes. "It's ok if you do, you know. I'm not going to say anything."

Kurt's jaw dropped and it took him several moments before his brain could form words.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He squeaked. _Was his voice always this high?_

Blaine giggled and put his hand on Kurt's arm, not unlike the grasp Carole Hudson had on Burt's arm just moments before.

"It's okay Kurt." Blaine said with sincerity. "I'm not like the other guys. I'm not going to judge you or make fun of you or hurt you or anything."

Kurt collected himself enough to bring his voice back down to a manageable pitch. He shook his head and pulled his arm away from Blaine's grasp. "Blaine. You're off your rocker. I don't like Finn. He's - well… Finn. He's got a girlfriend. And he's not even gay."

Another giggle escaped Blaine's lips. He raised his triangular eyebrows and gave Kurt an indignant look. "Kurt. I've seen the way you look at him. I've watched how you are around him. No offence, but… it's kind of obvious."

"It is not!"Kurt exclaimed. "I have never… Wait. What do you mean, you've watched me?"

The red flush returned to Blaine's cheeks. He stammered, "I j-just mean that I've seen how you act around him. You get kinda giggly."

Kurt narrowed his eyes. "Are you fucking with me right now? Is this some evil plot of Karovsky's and you're going to lead me out back and get me alone and beat the hell outta me or something?"

Blaine laughed. "No Kurt. I'm serious. That's what I've been trying to tell you the past couple of days. I'm not like them. I'd never hurt you." He returned his hand to Kurt's arm and gave him a gentle squeeze.

_Well this was an unexpected development. Blaine Anderson may actually give a shit._

"Am I really being that obvious?"

Blaine smirked. "I guess it wasn't _that_ bad. At least you didn't try to kiss him or something."

Kurt stiffened as he recalled his vivid dream from that morning.

"Come on Kurt. Let's go for a walk."

"Wait, what?" Kurt snapped back into reality. "You'd actually be comfortable being seen with me? You realize that is social suicide right?"

Blaine smiled and his eyes sparkled again. "Screw them Kurt. They're ignorant pricks. Of course I want to spend time with you. How else would I help you devise a plan to turn Finn gay?"


	6. No One Wants To Dig That Deep

Chapter Six

Blaine and Kurt spent the remainder of the evening together in the auditorium. The conversation flowed freely between the two. To Kurt, it felt like they were old friends. They talked about many things, most of which always led back to a discussion about a song or a new band. Kurt was beyond astonished to discover that Blaine actually had a pretty good knowledge of music. It surprised him even more when Blaine sat down at the piano and started playing a beautiful song that Kurt had never heard before.

"Wow Blaine, I had no idea…" Kurt said leaning over the piano, watching as the younger boy's fingers danced across the ivory keys.

Blaine was so immersed in his song that he had closed his eyes and was swaying gently with the soft music. "There is a lot about me that you don't know Kurt."

After the song was finished Blaine scooted over on the piano bench and indicated to Kurt that he was welcome to sit down. Kurt hesitated slightly then walked around the piano and slowly took a seat next to him, crossing his left leg over the right and leaning slightly away from the other boy.

"Do you play?" Blaine asked, his fingers once again finding the keys and creating another simple yet unfamiliar sound.

"I took a few lessons when I was younger. My mom taught me the basics then I mostly played around and figured the rest out myself." Kurt said, remembering back to the previous day that he'd spent in this very auditorium playing piano for Finn.

"It's a great escape mechanism." Blaine stated matter-of-factly, now with his eyes open, he looked over to Kurt and offered a small smile.

Kurt looked puzzled.

"I like to play piano when I need some alone time." Blaine said, that same red blush flowing up his neck and into his cheeks. "It's peaceful… and calming."

Blaine effortlessly melted his song into another one, this one familiar to Kurt who smiled upon recognition. "Ohhhh Blaine! I love this song!"

Kurt jumped up off the piano bench and began theatrically singing along with a tune from 'The Sound of Music". Blaine chuckled as he watched the other boy singing and dancing around the piano, obviously enjoying himself. When the song ended, Kurt unceremoniously plopped back down on the piano stool next to Blaine and laughed, out of breath, "Wow. I can't believe I just did that!"

Blaine smiled and held his head in his hand, unable to take his eyes off the other boy. "You have a great voice Kurt. You sounded amazing."

"Ha! That's a first, most people just laugh when they hear me sing for the first time. Actually most are shocked when they find out I'm not a girl…"

Blaine smiled and continued to gaze at Kurt. "I've always loved your voice Kurt. Your range is phenomenal."

Kurt's eyes widened and it was his turn to feel the warmth rise to his cheeks. No one ever complimented him like this.

"Th-thanks Blaine."

"I think singing with someone is a great way to show them that you care about them." Blaine said, looking up at Kurt with a sparkle in his golden brown eyes. "It's the most honest form of self-expression."

"Do you think I should sing to Finn?"

Blaine shook himself and his triangular eyebrows jumped up on his forehead in surprise. "Uhhh… I-I…" He stuttered. "Kurt…"

"Blaine! You're a genius! I'm going to sing him a song and let him know that I love him!"

Blaine did a double take. "Wh-what?"

"It's brilliant! He'll hear me expressing my love and he'll realize that I care for him and that we're meant to be together!"

Blaine was speechless. "Kurt… do you think that's wise?"

Kurt didn't seem to hear Blaine's warning. He was lost in his own mind, planning what song he would perform. He would have to choose a song from a musical. They were always the best for exclaiming one's love for someone else. _Wicked_? Or maybe one from _Rent_?

Kurt stared off into space as his mind flooded with ideas about song choice and choreography.

"Kurt?"

The taller teen seemed to snap out of his daydream and looked back over to Blaine with a huge grin. "Thank you Blaine. I'm sorry I said such hateful things. I guess I just assumed you were just like the other jocks." He exclaimed excitedly. "Thank you for listening to me rant and thank you for suggesting that I sing to Finn!"

Kurt was too excited to notice the shell-shocked look that was cemented on Blaine's face.

It was so strange. Twenty-four hours ago Kurt would have loved to have locked Blaine in a closet for the rest of his life to prevent him from interrupting any more of his conversations with Finn, but now – he couldn't really find any reason to hate him.

Maybe Blaine wasn't as bad as he'd made him out to be. Kurt had to admit that Blaine had never really initiated any of the bullying that the rest of the football guys had participated in. But he also hadn't done anything to prevent it either.

Kurt was conflicted. Should be hate Blaine or enjoy his company? Could he actually be friends with a straight guy? A football jock nevertheless! He almost laughed aloud when he thought about what it would look like for anyone to walk into the auditorium at that moment and see the only gay kid at the school sitting on a piano bench next to a jock wearing his Letterman's jacket.

The most two most unlikely of allies joining up and making beautiful music together.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked again quietly, "Are you okay? You've gone quiet. You're not having a stroke or something are you?"

Kurt snapped out of his reverie and looked at the other boy. "Why do the jocks hate me so much?"

Blaine's face fell. It was obvious that he was hoping to avoid this conversation.

He looked like he was about to say something then changed his mind. Then he finally gulped and looked over at the taller teen. "Kurt, they don't hate you. They just don't understand you."

Kurt scoffed. "So they choose to throw me into the dumpster because they don't understand me. Riiiight – cuz that makes perfect sense."

Blaine looked even more hurt. "Kurt, I'm sorry. I wish I could have done something to stop them."

Kurt shook his head and stood up from the piano bench. "You could have said something Blaine. If you're so hell bent on being my friend then maybe try stepping out from underneath that rock you've been living under and stand up for me for once…"

Blaine stood up from the bench, now separated from Kurt by the shiny black piano. "Kurt, I want to… it's just that…I…" He hesitated and frowned when he couldn't come up with the words he was looking for.

"You're just like them! You _are_ too afraid to be seen with me. I'm a freak and you don't want to ruin your all-American, boy-next-door, straight-guy, football-star reputation. I get it Blaine. I'm sorry I ever wasted my time believing that you might actually be worth my time." Kurt spun around and huffed out of the auditorium.

Blaine looked devastated. "Kurt, please." He cried, "I swear, I'm not like them." But he could only watch in defeat as the other boy strutted away from him and slammed the auditorium door behind him with a loud bang.

Kurt was gone before he had a chance to see the tears that had welled up in Blaine's eyes or hear Blaine's voice crack as he struggled with his last few spoken words.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I am excited to announce that I recently stumbled upon a video on YouTube that I am using as a "Trailer" for my story! Just for fun, I was looking up videos for "Underneath", when low and behold – I found this 'Klaine' video:**

**(I'm having some trouble posting the link - so if it doesn't work just search "Underneath Klaine" in Youtube)**

** If anyone knows how to post a link to YouTube on here... I'd love some advice :(**

**The creator of the video 'stopprayin4disaster' has graciously given me permission to use the video as my trailer. I think it is extremely well put together and does a phenomenal job of setting up some scenes between our two favorite boys! It's seriously like the creator read my story and made the video based on it! {Which of course, is impossible because most of it is still locked away in my mind to this point… } I was just so excited to find a video that used the exact song that inspired this fanfic…**

**Anyways, check it out and let me know what you think! I love love love reviews!**

**Stay tuned readers – things are about to get interesting… **

**Thanks for reading! **

**XOXO**

**-RH**


	7. Let Me Take You

**Author's Note:**

**I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read my story and give E-flowers and E-chocolate to everyone who has written a review! I love the feedback! **

**-RH**

* * *

Chapter Seven

Kurt stormed out of the auditorium and almost smacked right into Finn as he turned to go down the hallway.

"Whoa Kurt! Are you okay?"

Kurt had to shake off his anger and compose himself back into his usual calm and suave self. "Oh. Hello Finn." He said pushing his hair off to the side of his face with a gentle flick of his wrist.

"Your dad is looking for you. Him and my mom are waiting in the Choir room. They're all chatty and stuff. It's weird. It's like they're friends now or something. Anyways, he's all finished talkin' with Mr. Schue." Finn rambled.

"Good. Good – I'm ready to go home." Kurt said with a forced smile.

"Dude, are you sure you're ok? You look kinda… flustered." Finn said with an arched eyebrow.

"No, of course I am fine. I'd better go find my dad. See you Monday?"

"Uhhh sure, sounds good. Later dude." Finn said and watched with increasing confusion as the thin boy elegantly padded down the hallway towards the choir room.

Finn was still standing there trying to connect the dots when the door into the auditorium opened yet again and a second figure emerged.

"Blaine?" Finn questioned, taking in the boys puffy red eyes. "Dude. What the hell?"

Blaine looked up from the floor, obviously shocked to find anyone standing in the hallway with him. He quickly wiped a sleeve over his face and cleared his throat. "I-I'm fine Finn. Thanks. I gotta run. See you at football tomorrow?" He didn't wait for an answer; he just looked down at the floor once again and carried on down the hallway, in the opposite direction that Kurt had disappeared only moments before.

Finn stood in the hallway looking utterly perplexed.

_Did I miss something?_

* * *

A large group of Cheerios were prancing around in their dainty little uniforms and shaking their red and white pompoms as Burt Hummel approached the football field the following afternoon. The stands were filled with fans – the majority there in support of the Titans, many going as far as wearing red and black colored clothes. Some had large signs painted on poster board. Burt chuckled as he saw one that said "Puck – Marry Me?" He didn't know who this 'Puck' was, but the sign was funny as hell.

Burt smiled as he reminisced about his high school football playing days. He'd loved the game from day one. It had always been such an adrenaline rush. The feeling of catching a Hail Mary pass and running the distance into the end zone. It wasn't a feeling one could forget - the feeling of belonging to a team. Not to mention all the girls that loved the attention of the football players. Yup – Burt Hummel was an absolute ladies man in his day. He sighed with a dopey grin plastered on his face.

"Dad, are you coming? The game is about to start."

Burt's grin faded as he pulled down his grease-stained 'Hummel Tire and Lube' baseball cap and followed his son up the steps to a row of unoccupied bleacher seats.

"I can't believe you wanted to come with me Kurt." He said, taking his seat and looking out across the field at the Cheerios, who were now in the middle of creating a human pyramid. "Usually I have to drag you kicking and screaming to things like this."

Kurt got a funny, almost offended look on his face until his father quickly added, "Not that I mind son. You know I like spending time with you. I'm happy you offered to come along."

Kurt relaxed into his seat and folded one leg over the other. It was slightly breezy out so he pulled the collar of his Marc Jacobs sweater up around his neck and tightened his cashmere scarf. He noticed his father was scanning the bleachers, as though looking for someone. When he saw Burt's eyes grow large and a big smile form on his face, Kurt followed his father's stare and caught sight of Carole Hudson walking up the steps towards them.

"Hello Burt! Glad you could make it today!" Carole said with a happy smile once she managed to find her way to the seat on the opposite side of Burt. "Hi dear," she added with a wink towards Kurt.

Burt turned to her and smiled, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Kurt nodded and silently patted himself on the back. It looked like his plan was working perfectly.

Moments later the PA Announcer startled everyone, _"Give it up for your McKinley Titans!"_

Everyone in the stands stood and cheered as the boys dressed in red and white poured out onto the field.

Kurt's eyes scanned all of the players until they rested on the boy who stood a few inches taller than all the rest and wore the familiar number five. He giggled and clapped with excitement as he noticed that his mind hadn't been exaggerating when it had compiled the mental image of Finn wearing the tight football pants.

Burt had no idea that Kurt was so into football.

The game started off with the Titans winning the coin toss, meaning the Raiders would kick off and the hometown boys would receive the ball.

The Northwood kicker lined up and kicked the football down the field. It soared through the air and Kurt watched as one of the Titans on the punt return team lined himself up under it and caught it. The player, who wore number sixteen, took off like a shot down the field, zigging and zagging through the tangle of players on the field. Kurt felt his dad stiffen with excitement next to him as the boy continued to seemingly fly down the field.

"Go sixteen go!" Burt screamed excitedly. "Look at that little fucker run!"

Kurt smiled at his dad's enthusiasm and glanced back down to the field where he could see Finn watching the kick return and jumping up and down in excitement. Apparently the punt returner had scored off the opening kick! He'd run the ball all the way down the field, manipulating himself through the entire Raiders team and into the end zone. Touchdown!

The entire football stadium roared with applause and screams of encouragement.

The rest of the squad rushed over to the boy and gave him high fives and pats on the helmet. A few of the team members even gave the boy "good job" smacks on the rear end. A smile twitched at the corner of Kurt's mouth. Maybe he _should_ join the football team again.

The game continued on. Finn was playing well – he'd connected with the wide receiver (who turned out to be the same kid wearing number 16) on multiple attempts, gaining serious yardage on each play. They were a very strong pairing. Noah Puckerman had scored two touchdowns and even Mike Chang got in on the action with a touchdown.

The only part of the game that Kurt refused to enjoy was the fact that Dave Karofsky was on the field. The large teen was a strong defender. As the Right Guard, the teen created a wall of protection for his quarterback. Then, when Finn would call a handoff or a running play, he and Azimio would push through the opposing line and create plenty of space for Puck to bulldoze his way through.

Kurt shook his head at the irony of it all. Karofsky and Azimio were so ignorant and hateful, but on the field the two were such a dynamic duo of protection for the other members of their team. Everyone on the field – including players on both teams, respected their athleticism and skill.

Kurt couldn't help but notice the skill levels of all the players. It wasn't like he didn't have any clue about what was going on out there on the field; it was just that usually he didn't care. He knew that Finn was having a phenomenal game. He was 28/36 on his passes and had even run a few plays into the end zone himself. The McKinley Titans were on fire.

The final score was 42-6 in favor of the hometown boys. Fans lingered in their seats following the game, talking animatedly about what had easily been the most entertaining game of the season.

Burt and Carole were busy chatting about the game, and Kurt quickly grew bored, so he decided to go for a walk. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would run into Finn and tell him congratulations on the great game.

Kurt wandered down the halls of his school and stopped to look at the awards in the football trophy case. There was a photo of the football team from the year before when Kurt was the kicker. He looked so young, and so incredibly small in the football gear. He smiled as he noticed how happy Finn looked in the picture. It was the first game the team had won in quite some time and Kurt had been a part of it. He sighed as he reminisced about that great day.

Meanwhile, Burt and Carole made their way over to the player's entrance of the locker room. They hadn't waited long before Finn appeared, walking with his Titans duffle bag hanging off one shoulder and his other arm draped over the shoulders of a much shorter boy Burt had never seen before.

"Finn!" Burt shouted, giving the boy a proud slap on the back, "Hell of a game there kiddo!"

Finn looked up with a goofy grin. "Hey Burt! Glad you could make it. This is Blaine. He's our all-star wide receiver. Four touchdowns today!" The lanky teenager ruffled the other boy's already unruly hair. "Blaine this is my mom Carole and this is Burt."

"Hey Blaine, Number sixteen, right? That was some kinda clinic you put on out there buddy." Burt said with pride, extending his hand out. "That kick-off return was pretty epic."

Blaine flushed, looking genuinely humbled by Burt's comments. "Thank you sir." He took the elder Hummel's hand and gripped it in a strong handshake.

"Ha! Sir? That's my dad's name… You can call me Burt."

Blaine smiled and nodded, shrugging his duffle bag higher up on his left shoulder.

Carole stepped in and gave Finn a gracious hug. "We're thinking of going for a bite of pizza to celebrate. Are you hungry Finn?"

Finn laughed, "Mom, I'm always hungry, you know that."

Burt looked over at Blaine, "Are your parents here Blaine? Do you have dinner plans? You could join us if you like. You deserve it after a game like that!"

Blaine's eyes grew large and his jaw dropped slightly. _They just asked me to join their family for dinner? I don't even know them…_

"Uhhh.. They weren't able to make it today." Blaine said quietly. "They're both working."

"Oh, well then in that case, you are definitely coming to dinner with us then!" Carole added with a genuine smile. "Our treat Blaine."

The smile returned to Blaine's face and he looked over to Finn, who gave him an approving nod. "Sure, I guess." He said. "As long as it's no trouble."

"Not at all Blaine." Burt chimed in, "This way I can grill you both about football strategy!"

"Where's Kurt?" Finn asked.

Blaine froze. _No way._

"He took off shortly after the game ended. He should be back so- oh! There he is…" Burt looked over Blaine's shoulder as his son walked into view.

Finn turned around and quickly waved Kurt over, "Hurry up dude! We're going for pizza!"

"Dad you know that pizza is not good for…" Kurt started as he walked up to the group. He froze when he noticed Blaine standing next to his father and Finn. His eyes narrowed and he looked instantaneously angry. "Blaine? What the fuck are you doing here?"

Burt's head snapped over to his son. "Kurt! Language!" He looked over to Carole, silently apologizing for his son's uncharacteristic outburst.

Blaine was still shocked as his brain slowly put the pieces together. "Burt? You're Kurt's dad? I thought… I-I didn't…" He stuttered. "I j-just remembered that I have to go home. I-I can't go out to dinner with him, I-I mean with you."

Burt looked confused. This time it was his turn to put the pieces together. "You're Blaine."

Blaine looked up at him, eyebrows knitted and with bewilderment written on his face. _He knows about me? Kurt has talked about me?_

"You're the homophobic asshole who has been giving my son trouble at school!"

"What? Sir, I…" Blaine stammered, unconsciously backing away from the man.

"Listen here you little prick…" Burt said wagging a finger in Blaine's direction. "I don't care if you are the best player on this football team, you utter one word to my son ever again and I will have you arrested for assault. Do you understand me?"

Blaine looked terrified. He couldn't speak and he was having difficulty catching his breath.

"I said… do you understand me?" Burt repeated in an even more menacing tone. He took a step closer to Blaine and lifted his hand, clenching it into a fist. He would never have hit the kid. But he was just so damn angry.

Blaine however, did not know what to expect. He fully anticipated a beating. He closed his eyes and cowered away from the older man, putting his hands up in front of his face for protection.

Everyone was so shocked by the events that no one seemed to notice how terrified Blaine truly was.

No one except Kurt.

He saw that look in Blaine's eyes as his father had advanced on him. Pure terror.

As angry as he was with Blaine, Kurt's heart seemed to break slightly at the sight of the fragile looking boy cowering in fear.

"Dad, that's enough." Kurt said, pulling his father away. "Let's go to dinner."

Burt's grim stare remained on the boy, who had re-opened his eyes and was breathing heavily.

"I'm warning you son…" Burt threatened. "One word…"

Blaine gulped and nodded slowly, not taking his eyes of the fierce looking man. Every ounce of friendliness was gone from the older man's face. He wasn't messing around.

The group of four turned around and started towards the exit. Finn risked a look back and saw that Blaine hadn't moved from his spot next to the player's entrance. He gave the boy a weak smile and lifted a hand up to wave.

Blaine didn't acknowledge the gesture. He couldn't see straight and he legitimately thought he was about to be sick. Several lonely tears made their way down his cheeks as he finally found the strength in his legs to take a few steps over to the cement wall.

Wobbly, he slid down the wall and sat on the floor, with his head between his knees, hoping for the ground underneath him to open up and swallow him whole.


	8. Baby, Better Watch Your Step

Chapter Eight

No one chose to mention the confrontation with Blaine during dinner that same evening. The quartet of Hummels and Hudsons enjoyed their pizza and made light conversation, intentionally ignoring the obvious elephant in the room. Finn looked utterly confused (even more so than usual) after they'd left the school. He didn't feel comfortable asking what had gotten Burt so riled up. Kurt chose to remain quiet about the situation because he felt almost guilty about the whole thing. Blaine had looked terrified when Burt had advanced upon him.

Subconsciously, Kurt had a nagging feeling that there may be more to the curly-haired boy underneath his tough exterior.

Kurt did feel slightly out of place momentarily when Burt and Finn were engrossed in football talk. Burt told Finn that he would get some tickets to the Reds game and Finn was ecstatic, having never seen an NFL game live before.

Kurt couldn't help but feel envious about how genuinely interested Burt was with everything Finn had to say. Kurt sighed as he tried to remember the last time his father paid that much attention to any of his stories. Although, he could vaguely appreciate that his father would relate more from to a football story than anything he'd read in Vogue. But it still hurt, as much as he hated to admit it. He tried to bring up the fact that Carole was wearing some new designer jeans (complete with a waistband that fell below her belly button) but Burt unconsciously changed the subject back to sports and continued on his quest to win Finn over.

Aside from that, the evening went very well. Burt and Carole seemed to get along like long-lost friends. Even Kurt and Finn had some decent conversations – much to Kurt's approval. They discussed Glee club and talked about the songs that they would be singing to each other the following Thursday. Kurt chose not to tell Finn the exact song he'd finally chosen to sing it him. He wanted it to be a surprise. He'd taken Blaine's inadvertent advice and decided to serenade Finn with a love song.

* * *

The days leading up to Thursday involved Kurt spending every waking moment perfecting his song selection.

Kurt had set the alarm on his iPhone forty-five minutes early Thursday morning so he could do a more extensive moisturizing routine and ensure that his hair was perfectly coiffed. He chose his favorite outfit – an ensemble from Alexander McQueen's fall line, and doused himself in his favorite cologne. He felt ready to take on the world.

His classes seemed to drag on, until finally the buzzer rang to signify the end of his Spanish class. It was time.

Kurt sat in the choir room anxiously tapping his toes as the remainder of the students piled in. Mr. Schue had listed the pairings on the whiteboard in order of who would sing first, and Kurt was excited to see that he and Finn were to be the last pair to sing their chosen songs.

_He's saving the best for last._

Finn entered the classroom and took a seat next to Kurt, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"H-hey Finn." He stuttered before he convinced his brain to catch up. "I had a great time last night."

No one noticed the look of shock and confusion that Puck sent Finn upon hearing this.

"Yeah. Me too, Kurt. Your dad is really cool."

Kurt smiled. "They are really great together aren't they?"

Finn looked suddenly uncomfortable, as though the light bulb has just turned on inside his head. "Wait. You don't think she… _like_ likes him, do you?"

Kurt grinned a toothless grin. "Of course she does! It was an instant connection."

"That's impossible."

"Finn, when are you going to learn that nothing is impossible when it comes to love?" Kurt said with a dopey smile. "Haven't you noticed anything different about your mom? New clothes, new makeup. A haircut that doesn't look like it was styled by the Amish? Who do you think pretty-woman'd her up?"

Finn's face rapidly paled before developing a slightly green tinge.

"Has she started selling the furniture yet?"

Finn looked horrified. "Yeah, she just got rid of her old bedroom set and she tried to sell my dad's chair but I stopped her." Then he looked at Kurt, confused, "H-how do you even know that?"

"People our parent's age don't wait around for love to bloom." Kurt said, adding with a lustful gaze, "They know what they want."

Kurt moved his chair closer to the quarterback and said, "I guess you and I will be roommates with mom and dad cohabitating upstairs by midterms."

"No way" Finn shook his head and pushed his chair in the opposite direction.

Kurt put his hand on Finn's thigh, "Give in to the inevitable Finn. We can re-decorate our room together."

Finn's eyes widened and he looked like he was about to say something more when Mr. Schuester entered the room and announced that they would be starting the performances soon.

Kurt smiled at Finn before crossing his legs and turning in his chair, once again facing the front of the room.

Kurt hardly noticed the rest of the group singing their songs, instead choosing to stare at the goofy grin on Finn's face as he watched Puck sing an awkwardly inappropriate ballad to Mercedes. Finn continued to look extremely uncomfortable every time he caught Kurt staring at him. But, being the sweet and innocent guy he was, he only forced an awkward smile towards the other boy and turned his attention back to the front of the room. Kurt didn't seem to notice the uncomfortable tension in the air.

The remainder of the class was spent listening to discomfited renditions of classic love songs, including a very heartfelt ballad performed by Santana to Brittany and some gushy love song between Mike and Tina.

Finally it was time.

Finn started things off by singing the song he and Kurt had chosen in the auditorium. As he finished the final lines of _'I'll Stand by You'_, he gave a seemingly innocent and very brief hug to Kurt who flushed a furious shade of red as the remainder of the class applauded his performance.

"Great job with that song Finn. I know you were having a tough time with this assignment." Mr. Schuester acknowledged, giving the hefty teen a pat on the shoulder. "Kurt, you're up. Last but not least! What have you got for us?"

Kurt let out a large breath as he stood up and walked to the front of the classroom.

"What we all need right now is to explore the idea of a sense of place, and how, if we find that place within, we will get that happy ending." Kurt sent another lustful stare towards Finn, who suddenly looked like he wished the floor would open up and swallow him.

Kurt handed Mr. Schuester a stack of sheet music then strutted over and snobbishly told the pianist to play the song in B-flat and then positioned himself directly in front of Finn, who was sitting in the front row.

As he sang _'A House is Not a Home'_, Kurt looked deep into Finn's eyes, completely oblivious to the awkward and uncomfortable look that was clearly written all other the other boy's face. As the song progressed, Kurt began to notice the awkward stares from around the room and it seemed to suddenly dawn on him that Finn was not enjoying the song. At all.

Kurt finished the song and received brief, forced applause, which he didn't even perceive. He turned away from the remainder of his classmates as a lonely tear found its way down his porcelain cheek.

* * *

Kurt rushed out of the choir room as the buzzer rang just moments after his performance. He had no desire to see or speak to Finn at that point. He felt like such a tool.

_What was I thinking? Of course Finn isn't attracted to me! He's not even gay!_

Several more tears were slowly streaming down his cheeks as he quickly made his way through the corridors towards the exit where he would find his car parked outside.

_This is a disaster! Why did I even try? I feel like such a loser. Stupid Blaine and his stupid ideas and his stupid curly hair and that stupid dumb grin and his stupid…_

Kurt was obviously distraught and not paying attention to where he was walking, so as he came around the corner, he let out a surprised "Ommmphh" as his body slammed into a much harder, more compact one.

"Oh jeez! I'm sorry; I wasn't watching… oh, hey Kurt." Blaine said as he caught Kurt before he could smack into the wall beside them. "How was Glee?"

Kurt looked up as he regained his balance and narrowed his eyes at the boy standing across from him. He didn't say a word.

_This is your fault._

Blaine noticed the glare as well as the red puffiness of Kurt's eyes. "Kurt, are you ok?"

Kurt suddenly threw all caution to the wind and pointed a finger right in the boy's face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He sneered.

Blaine looked confused and frightened at the same time. "Kurt, I…"

"No." Kurt cut him off. "I talk. You listen."

Blaine's jaw snapped shut.

"You set me up." Kurt said, backing the smaller boy towards the wall. "You did that on purpose!"

Blaine shook his head, having no idea what the taller boy was referring to, but not wanting to risk the chance that Kurt might actually slug him one. He looked insanely pissed off about something.

"You told me to sing to Finn." Kurt shoved the other boy against the wall now and looked down at him, still wagging the finger in front of his pale face. "I trusted you."

Blaine closed his eyes and released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as he pieced together what must have happened. "Kurt, I…"

Again, he was interrupted.

This time Kurt lost all sense of control and grabbed the smaller boy by the shoulders and shook him. "YOU DID THIS TO ME!"

Blaine winced and tried to shrug away.

"Did Karofsky put you up to this? He did, didn't he?" Kurt exclaimed, grabbing the boy's arms hard enough to leave bruises.

Blaine shook his head, but he couldn't contain the tiny whimper that escaped from between his lips.

The painful sound was enough to shake Kurt from his bout of temporary insanity and he immediately released the slender boy from his grasp.

Blaine fell to the floor and scooted himself backwards, away from Kurt, hugging himself with a cradled left arm, wincing with each painful inch.

Kurt's stomach dropped as he finally realized what he'd done.

"B-Blaine, I'm sorry." He started, as he took a step closer to the frightened boy still curled up on the floor of the hallway. "Please, I-I don't know what I was doing… I'm sorry."

Blaine looked up at him from where he sat on the floor, tears freely flowing down his cheeks. "D-don't t-touch me." He stuttered shakily.

Kurt felt his face get hot with shame. He'd never laid a hand on anyone before. He, of all people, knew what it was like to be picked on and tossed around like a piece of garbage. He felt sick to his stomach with guilt.

"Blaine, please. You're hurt." He could feel tears prickling at the corners of both his eyes.

The shorter boy shook his head and picked himself up off the floor. He winced as he attempted to straighten out his posture, setting one hand on the cold brick wall in support and closing his eyes momentarily to contain the nausea that threatened to make itself present.

Blaine re-opened his eyes and looked at Kurt, with tear-stains still predominant on his flushed cheeks. "I thought you were different than them."

He then unsteadily shuffled his way past Kurt, still holding his abdomen with his right arm and disappeared down the hallway with a pronounced limp, leaving Kurt standing there alone in disgrace and disbelief.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Angsty angst...**

**Let me know what you think... What do you expect is going to happen next?**

**Thanks for reading {and for your reviews ;) }**

**- RH**


	9. Never Mind

Chapter Nine

The weeks that followed were beyond awkward and uncomfortable for all involved. Kurt and Finn were often forced together since Burt and Carole continued to see each other – a lot. They went out for dinner several times a week and on the days where they chose to stay in; one of them would be at the other's house. Kurt had truly done a terrific job of setting them up - it was a true match made in heaven. But it certainly hadn't been an easy few weeks. It was unpleasant from the very beginning – Finn wouldn't even look at Kurt following the ballad fiasco and Kurt refused to talk to the other boy. Their parents noticed – it was hard not to. There was definite tension in the air.

Kurt noticed extra stress at school as well. He continued to be tormented in the hallways, was often tossed into the big green dumpster outside the school and was given multiple slushy facials by the members of the football team. It had seemed as though word was out – Kurt Hummel had a big gay crush on the very straight quarterback of the football team. He was officially the only "out" kid in school.

Even Glee was awkward, which was something Kurt was not accustomed to at all. Glee Club had been Kurt's escape from reality for months. He often relied on the singing and choreography to keep him sane. But lately – it was anything but a safe haven. Puck, Finn and the other boys had a hard time interacting with Kurt and refused to sit anywhere near him. Even the girls kept their distance from Kurt. Not necessarily on purpose, but Kurt could feel a distance between them that he'd never noticed before. What hurt the most was that even his best friend Mercedes had drifted away from him ever-so-slightly. She had, up to that point, no problem with Kurt's sexual orientation, but now it seemed that her desperation for popularity had suddenly overwritten her desire for companionship with Kurt.

The realization that he and Finn would never work out had hit Kurt hard. He'd never really had a crush before (aside from a 30 second crush on Mr. Schue when Kurt had first met him, but his quirkiness and terrible fashion sense had quickly smothered any residual feelings.)

Kurt was miserable. He found himself walking down the hallways alone again and strategically avoiding certain areas that he knew Karofsky and his gang of misfits tended to wander. The abuse from the jocks had escalated once again. He was having problems with them on a daily basis now.

There was one thought that kept invading Kurt's mind. A single detail that he couldn't shake – What had happened to Blaine?

The curly-haired boy had seemingly dropped off the face of the planet. Kurt hadn't seen him since that fateful day in the hallway. He was never present with the other jocks as they cornered him in the hallways and Kurt hadn't seen him in class either.

Kurt had actively watched out for him since that day; intentionally seeking him out in class, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. Kurt worried that he'd seriously injured him. He had, after all, shoved him pretty hard into the wall.

Kurt couldn't help but replay that afternoon in his mind over and over again. The boy looked pretty roughed up for just getting shoved into a wall. He'd been holding his side and definitely had a limp as he'd struggled away from Kurt and sauntered down the hallway. Kurt couldn't seriously have caused that much damage from one little shove, could he of?

Kurt was sickened as he recalled the conversation he'd had with Blaine only a few days prior, _'Nudged a little bit hey? Is that what that was?'_

He frowned in defeat as he walked to his next class.

_Oh my god. I've turned into David Karofsky._

Kurt came to a realization in the middle of History class, so the moment the buzzer rang; he sprinted out of the classroom to continue his search.

It was time to seek out Blaine Anderson and set things right.

* * *

Kurt looked around the school during his lunch break but came up empty. He obviously wasn't going to approach any of the football players and ask where their teammate hung out during his down time and he still adamantly refused to speak with Finn so Kurt resumed his search during study hall – the last period of the day.

_If I was a jock, where would I hang out?_

Kurt cringed as images of the girl's locker room popped into his head. _Ewwwww._

_They seem to eat a lot. Hmmmm, but he wasn't in the lunch room. _

He continued down the hallway until he passed the familiar trophy case next to the gymnasium and came to an abrupt halt.

_Duh. He's probably in the gym._

Kurt stood outside the doors to the gym and quickly considered his options. Did he take a chance, enter the gym and just hope and pray to Gaga that none of the other jocks were in there and risk becoming part of the paint job on the gym walls? Or, did he play the safe card and just resume his search the following day?

_I owe it to Blaine to make sure he's okay._

Kurt sucked in a deep breath and slowly cracked open the doors. The lights were off in the main part of the leisure center, but he could see a dim light seeping out from under the fitness room door on the far side of the gym.

He quietly crept his way through the gym, keeping a hand fixed on the wall slowly sliding along it to maintain his balance in the dark as he got closer and closer. The cement walls were cool beneath his fingers. Kurt didn't want to think about all the germs and other gross things that he might be picking up by touching the walls. He'd have to remember to double-wash and sanitize if and when he'd located Blaine.

As he approached the door, Kurt was happy to see that there was a tiny window in the door. He wouldn't have to simply barge in to the weight room and risk being caught. He sneakily crept up to the door and peered through the tiny window.

The first things he noticed were the vast pieces of exercise equipment which Kurt would have no idea how to use. There was a long row of barbells along the one side of the room and mirrors along the opposite wall. Several rows of red lockers in the middle of the room blocked the view of the remainder of the fitness area. Many large posters and signs adorned the walls including several "Titan Pride" paintings and prints.

Kurt turned his head to the right as he peered over to the other side of the room and he couldn't withhold the gasp that escaped his lips when his widened eyes finally focused on the single occupant of the room.

Blaine Anderson was standing next to a large red punching bag and was beating the ever-living shit out of it. He was wearing dark grey sweatpants and a white undershirt. Droplets of perspiration dripped down his face and neck and continued down past the neckline of the shirt. His face was flushed and his usually curly hair was plastered to his scalp with sweat. He'd obviously been putting up a good fight.

Kurt couldn't help but stare as the boy continued his workout.

Blaine was standing with his knees bent and both fists clenched tight, held high protecting his face from what Kurt assumed might be a potential return attack. He would take a swing with his left hand, and then bounce on his toes several times before landing several consecutive right jabs.

Even through the closed door Kurt could hear the sounds that the boy was making with each forceful punch. Grunts and groans filled the room and Kurt felt his face flush and become warm.

Kurt's eyes followed the quick and stealthy movements of the other boy as he carried on with his imaginary melee. He focus started at the boy's feet, which were sockless in his trainers.

Kurt couldn't help but notice the intricate footwork involved in the sport. He smiled when the thought crossed his mind that the boy would likely be a great dancer.

His eyes followed the boy's compact body upwards. Kurt blushed again as he gazed at Blaine's perfectly sculpted ass and the toned abdominal muscles rippling below the sweat-drenched thin cotton workout garments. He could see the definition of muscle in the boy's chest and the thick biceps and triceps in each of his arms. The boy looked small in stature, but Kurt quickly realized he was anything but.

What grabbed Kurt's attention the most, by far, was the intense look on the boy's face. His triangular eyebrows were knitted in what looked like anger, frustration and concentration all rolled into one. His mouth was held in a straight, non-moving line except when he let out the angry sounding grumbles and growls. His upper lip looked as though it was almost curled up in a snarl. And his eyes. Kurt had remembered the boy's eyes as being a light honey-brown, but today they looked nearly pitch black. Kurt shuddered as he continued to peek through the tiny window.

_He looks like he wants to murder someone. Christ! I hope it's not me!_

It was almost as though Blaine could feel someone watching him and he abruptly aborted his routine mid-punch and quickly turned around to face the door.

Kurt scrambled off to the side of the door and pressed his back to the cold cement wall of the gymnasium.

Had he been caught?

He held his breath and closed his eyes, waiting to hear the approaching footsteps.

His heart was drumming so hard in his chest that he was afraid that even if Blaine hadn't heard him before, it might just give him away.

_Shit shit shit! _

The wait was almost painful. Like a prisoner waiting for the firing squad, Kurt continued to hold his breath, but after several minutes of pure silence, he released that mouthful of air as quietly as he could.

Did he dare peek into the window again?

In the horror movies he'd endured with his father that was always when the victim got caught by the psycho murderer. When they looked back into the window.

Kurt decided not to look back into the window.

He stayed flushed to the cool wall in the nearly pitch black gymnasium for several more minutes until he concluded that he was being stupid.

_It's not like I am not allowed in here. It's the boy's fitness room. Even if I did get caught, it's not like I am forbidden to be here. What's he going to do? Kill me?_

Kurt shuddered again.

He remembered back to that day in the hallway when he'd pushed Blaine to the floor. The boy had seemed so weak and fragile that day. Now, only a few miniscule weeks later, it was as though Kurt was looking at an entirely different person. This Blaine looked tough. And mean.

Kurt decided at that moment that it was time for him to pull on his big-boy underwear and do what he'd initially set out to do.

He took a few deep breaths in attempt to compose himself and turned back to face the door into the fitness room. He grabbed the door handle with a shaky hand and quickly turned it and pushed the door open.

"Blaine, I know it's been a few weeks and you probably really want to kick my ass, but I just wanted to say…"

Kurt halted his pre-planned speech when he realized he was speaking to an empty room. The boy was nowhere to be seen.

_Well fuck._

Slowly, Kurt made his way across the room and slipped between the rows of lockers towards the rear wall. He didn't want to surprise Blaine and end up with a broken nose. He'd just witnessed a display from a boy who obviously knew how to handle himself and Kurt had no desire to wind up on the wrong end of a left hook.

He could hear a noise coming from the change room so Kurt made his way in that direction. As he snuck closer, the noise turned into music.

_He's fucking singing. And he's fucking good!_

Kurt's eyes widened as he crept closer; not wanting to interrupt the private concert that was taking place in the change room.

_How does he go from being on a murderous rampage to singing Katy Perry? Is this kid bipolar or something?_

Kurt shrugged as he considered the possibility but he continued to creep closer, not wanting to miss a second of the performance.

The singing got louder and more clear the closer he got until he realized that in his determination to hear more, he'd overlooked a crucial detail.

Blaine was in the shower.

Kurt's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized that the boy was standing with his back to him in the shower, with beads of water dripping down the back of his head and neck and the bubbles from his shampoo drizzling down his torso.

His naked torso.

Kurt was immediately thankful that the cement dividers between the shower stalls blocked his vision of the bits of Blaine that he really didn't need to see.

Kurt's left eyebrow peaked.

_Or did he?_

Kurt considered retreating out of the change room for a miniscule half of a second, but the boy's voice had him in a trance. His feet felt as though they were glued to the grimy locker room floor.

_He sings like an angel._

Kurt was so enthralled with the song that he didn't hear the water in the shower shut off.

Somehow he must have also spaced out and missed it as Blaine turned around and took a few steps out of the shower towards him, still humming the last few bars of _'Teenage Dream'_.

At that moment, Blaine finally noticed that he had an audience and let out a surprised gasp.

He skidded to a stop, his wet feet nearly slipping out from underneath him on the cool tile floor.

Blaine feverishly re-positioned the small red towel that had, up to that point, only hung loosely over his manly bits and he looked up at Kurt with horror-struck eyes.

"Kurt! What the fuck?"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Wow. I had fun with that one.**

**Thanks so much for your continued support! **

**Reviews are appreciated and encouraged! I love hearing your thoughts!**

**-RH**


	10. What's On The Left

Chapter Ten

_Ohmygodohmygodohmygod_

Kurt stood frozen in place, his jaw hanging down and a hazy look in his widened glasz eyes. He was unable to speak, unable to move and unable to pry his eyes from the stunning sight before him.

Blaine Anderson was standing five feet in front of him wearing nothing but a towel.

It wasn't even a towel. It was more like the size of a face cloth.

Droplets of water were still clinging to his curly locks of dark hair and streaming down his bronzed face and neck. Kurt painfully swallowed the giant lump in his throat as he watched one of those droplets trickle down the side of the boy's neck, and down his trunk, weaving its way through the dark curls of thin chest hair and clinging momentarily to the brownish nub of Blaine's left nipple. The droplet continued to pick up its pace as it continued to dribble down his torso, weaving through his defined abdominal muscles and circling past his bellybutton until it became lost in the dense forest of dark hair that lead from his navel down past the edge of the towel.

"Uhhhh… Kurt?" Blaine's bushy eyebrows continued to sit high on his forehead and his face was still painted with shock and utter confusion. He strategically maneuvered himself so that the red McKinley Titans towel that was still only scarcely covering his waist was being held in place with only the fingers of his left hand. He then raised his right hand and waved slowly at Kurt, in attempt to wake him from his stupor. "Kurt?"

Kurt blinked several times as he brought his head back up, eyes returning to the boy's face. His lips moved as though he was going to say something but no intelligible words came out.

Blaine just stared in bewilderment. _Huh?_

Finally Kurt's brain became re-oxygenated again and he was able to form coherent words.

"I left my history locker in my gym book."

Blaine suppressed a smile. Biting his lips together, he looked away momentarily. Kurt's voice had always been of a higher pitch than most boys he'd known, but that had sounded almost inhuman.

Blaine identified the exact moment that Kurt realized what he had said. When he looked back over at the taller boy, he saw his pupils dilate to an unnatural size and his already white porcelain skin became a few shades lighter, although Blaine had thought that to be impossible.

The boys shared an awkward moment where neither of them knew what to say. They both just stood fixed in their positions, staring at each other.

Kurt would have preferred to just dart out of the locker room and run away, never returning to Lima, Ohio ever again.

Blaine on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the other boy's struggle to find appropriate words and form comprehensible sentences.

Eventually he decided that he'd better break the ice, "Did you find it?"

Kurt's face shot back up and looked at him. "Huh?"

Blaine smiled. "Your book. You said that you forgot your book."

"Right! Yes. Ummm, no. I didn't. I must have left it… in… my car. Or something." He blurted.

_Wow, that was smooth._

Blaine managed to contain the snort that was attempting to escape. He nodded. "Right. Well. I'm gonna go get dressed now." He nodded his thumb to his right and turned to walk over to the lockers.

_Do you have to?_

Kurt coughed at the thought.

"Sorry, I missed that. What did you say?" Blaine turned back around.

Kurt's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Nothing. Go ahead. You're fine."

_Damn fine actually._

Blaine nodded once in acknowledgement and had a look on his face like '_Ooookay then…_' before he turned back towards the row of lockers.

He was still smiling smugly to himself as he took a step forward and didn't notice the bar of soap that was lying on the wet tile floor. His left foot connected with it and he slipped forward, letting out a completely un-masculine yelp.

He threw both hands up as he struggled to maintain his balance, his body twisting sideways as his feet skidded on the wet floor. He managed to stay upright, with his knees flexed and arms stretched way out above his head. He glanced back over to where Kurt had been standing with a bashful look and was mortified to see that the boy had remained there and was enjoying every second of the spectacle.

It was only then that he realized that he'd dropped the towel.

* * *

Kurt couldn't believe what he was seeing. Literally.

_Wow. I thought the top half was impressive._

He watched as Blaine struggled to maintain his footing and collect himself. Kurt casually walked over and picked up the towel which had landed several feet between them. As he bent over to pick it up, he tried not to look in the direction of the other boy. There was an excessive amount of skin showing.

Even with Blaine covering up the most crucial parts with his tan hands.

With his best nonchalant face, Kurt gulped and walked the remaining few feet over to where the boy stood awkwardly and handed him the towel. "I think you dropped this."

It was Blaine's turn to be mortified.

He stood there dumbfounded for several seconds, trying to devise a plan to maintain what little dignity which may or may not remain.

_How the hell am I going to take that towel from him? If I move my right hand… ok… yeah… that's not even an option. And if I move my left hand… oh fuck._

Blaine looked perplexed.

Kurt had never seen another man naked before. Well, aside from a select few (obviously tasteful) videos and photos he'd stumbled upon (completely unintentionally, of course) online. But this was different. Blaine was standing mere inches away from him. He could feel the heat from the steam radiating around them as they stood together in the locker room, gazing into each other's eyes. Kurt could smell the delicious aroma of Blaine's bodywash swimming through the air. It was the perfect combination of sensuality and masculinity. It had almost a florid fragrance – maybe jasmine? Then Kurt's nose recognized the pleasant tingling scent of something aquatic – mixed with musk and cedar, as well as something unfamiliar, yet extraordinarily exquisite. Kurt determined that it must be the scent of Blaine himself.

Kurt slowly licked his lips as he looked up into Blaine's eyes once again.

Blaine peered up at him through his thick, impossibly long eyelashes and offered a small, innocent smile. "Thanks."

Kurt smiled back and nodded, handing the towel closer to the boy. He kept his eyes fixed on Blaine's beautiful honey-hazel ones, searching deep into his soul.

Blaine took the opportunity to drop his left hand and reached for the tiny red towel.

As he reached for it, their fingers connected and an electric current surged through both of the boys, causing Kurt to drop the towel to the floor and Blaine to release a soft gasp.

They were inches away from their bodies touching; Kurt standing slightly taller than Blaine. Both boys were still staring at one another when Kurt unhurriedly lifted his hand and gently brushed away a stray curl on Blaine's forehead that had come loose.

Blaine's eyes drifted closed with the contact. He had been feeling extremely self-conscious considering the position he was currently in, but that single movement by the other boy had caused his inhibitions to melt away. He leaned closer into Kurt and lifted his eyes, once again peering up at the taller boy from underneath his long, dark eyelashes.

Kurt's breath caught as he maintained eye contact with Blaine. His tanned face was chiseled like marble, and his lips pink, full and wanting. Those same sweet honey eyes were melting Kurt's heart into a puddle. The way that he looked up at him through his beautiful eyelashes sent a shiver up Kurt's spine. The boy looked so young, so innocent.

"Kurt." Blaine whispered. It was all he could say.

Kurt lifted a single finger and tenderly placed it over Blaine's lips, now sending the other boy into a silent frenzy. Blaine's heart began to drum even harder as he absorbed the heat from the other boy's finger on his bare chest. It was phenomenal that the gentle touch of a single fingertip had caused so much emotion to stir in his soul. Kurt exhaled as he too closed his eyes, taking in the scent that he was only able to describe as pure Blaine.

He lifted his hand again and ran it down the boy's cheekbone. Kurt was surprised when he found it to be covered in light stubble. Blaine was so beautiful that he'd assumed his face to be soft and smooth. He followed the trail of stubble from below the boy's earlobe and downward, following the angle of his strong, square jaw. He felt Blaine swallow beneath his fingers as he brought them down underneath his chin, with his thumb trailing along the boy's full lips.

Blaine now had his head turned off to the side, with his eyes closed again, a gentle hum evading his lips. Kurt used the grip of his fingers under the boy's chin to bring his face forward, so his eyes would once again meet his own. In that fraction of a moment that Blaine had looked away, he'd found himself desperately missing those honey-colored eyes.

Slightly surprised by Kurt's bold action, Blaine's eyes widened, pupils now fully dilated and his respirations began to quicken. He looked back into the other boy's eyes and was instantly transfixed. At this proximity, Blaine could see that Kurt's eyes were not just blue, or green, or any other color he'd ever seen before. They were particularly dazzling. Blaine couldn't think of a single word that would even come close to describing them.

The two boys continued to stare at each other as Kurt's long and delicate fingers remained positioned on the side of Blaine's face. The taller boy brought his opposite hand up and placed it gently on the other cheek, now ever-so-gently cupping Blaine's face in both hands.

Blaine broke eye contact and lowered his chin to his chest, after knitting his eyebrows together and releasing a deep, almost frustrated breath.

"Kurt," he gasped. "I-I can't."

Kurt said nothing. He lifted Blaine's chin up gently once more and looked into his eyes.

Blaine tried to look away again, but this time Kurt spoke up. "Please don't look away. You have the most beautiful eyes."

Blaine snapped his attention back to Kurt and swallowed the lump in his throat. He blinked a few times, almost trying to convince himself that the words he'd heard were real. He couldn't help but lower his eyes to look at Kurt's luscious pink lips.

"I've never…" He started, but paused, unknowing what to say next.

Kurt smiled and Blaine's heart melted.

"It's okay." He said, again brushing the runaway curl from the boy's forehead. "We don't have to…"

But this time it was Kurt who was interrupted as Blaine stood up on his toes, closing the gap between the two of them and gently pressed their lips together.

It was soft and tender but slightly uncoordinated. A product of two inexperienced boys trying something new.

Blaine's lips were warm and soft like silk and Kurt could taste remnants of minty mouthwash and vanilla flavored coffee.

Blaine brought his hand up and cupped the left side of Kurt's face with his strong fingers and was leaning his head ever-so-slightly to the right to obtain the perfect connection.

Kurt lifted both of his hands to the back of Blaine's head and found his fingers weaving through the mass of dark curls.

The kiss ended several moments later, with both boys gasping for air. They stood staring at each other, chests rising and falling rapidly with each breath until they connected again for a second, heated exchange.

Kurt was initiating this time, his hands tangling their way through Blaine's hair, his thumbs caressing the sides of Blaine's neck. Their lips found a rhythm and moved together like a well choreographed dance routine.

Blaine dropped from his tippy toes and Kurt used his hands to angle the smaller boy's head upwards and they continued their kiss without interruption. Blaine could feel Kurt's tongue gently licking his lips, silently asking for permission to enter his mouth. He parted his lips ever so slightly and his heart began to race as Kurt's tongue made its way in, exploring every millimeter of Blaine's mouth. He licked over his lips and his teeth, and Blaine's heart nearly exploded out of his chest when their tongues connected and began to dance together.

Kurt noticed that Blaine's hands were down by his sides, awkwardly sitting idly with his fists clenched, so for the briefest of seconds; he released his grasp from Blaine's face and joined their hands together, bringing Blaine's hands around his back and positioning them just above his hip bones. Blaine readily complied and when Kurt returned his hands to Blaine's face, the shorter boy began to softly caress Kurt's back and sides.

As the kiss deepened, Blaine brought his hands up and down Kurt's spine, gently stroking over each of the bony prominences of Kurt's spinal column. The pale boy moaned appreciatively and moved his lips down Blaine's jaw and onto his neck, nipping and sucking as he went.

Blaine brought his hands down to the hem of Kurt's sweater and snuck his fingers underneath the soft fabric. Upon finding another layer; a thin cotton t-shirt, Blaine's agile fingers made their way below until they made contact with pale, porcelain skin.

Kurt hummed as Blaine's fingers caressed his skin gently enough to make him suck in a quick breath of surprise. Blaine could feel the vibration of Kurt's mouth on his neck when he hummed and decided that he would like to have that happen again. He ran his fingers down Kurt's bare sides and felt the boy hum for a second time, his warm breath releasing an erotic groan.

"I need… shirt… off." Blaine groaned between kisses.

Kurt couldn't speak, he just nestled his face into the boys neck before lifting both his shirts up over his head in one fluid motion and discarding them unceremoniously on the floor.

Blaine looked at the sight before him with wide, eager eyes. Kurt's bare chest was impossibly white, and had subtle muscle definition. There was not an ounce of fat to be seen. Blaine was admiring the boy's chest, with his hands gently caressing up and down his ribcage, causing Kurt to wince from the gentle contact.

Blaine smiled and looked back up into Kurt's eyes. Oh, those eyes.

Kurt looked down at Blaine and smiled in return.

They stood there admiring one another for several moments before Blaine bashfully smiled, once again looking up at Kurt through his long eyelashes, "Hi."

Kurt's smile widened, making his eyes twinkle as he stroked his thumb down Blaine's cheek. "Hi."

They shared another kiss, not of the duration of the previous few, but filled with more passion and emotion than any words could possibly describe before the boys separated once again to simply admire each other.

Kurt ran his hands down Blaine's naked chest and down behind his back until they rested on the sweet curvature just above his ass. Slowly, Kurt made his way south, leaving kisses in his wake. He started at Blaine's neck and throat, nibbling and sucking, and then he moved to his chest, leaving kisses on each of his pectorals and spending a few minutes working his tongue around the boy's hardened nipples. Blaine groaned at the contact and wrapped his fingers in Kurt's hair, pulling his lover's head into his own body further, relishing the warmth of his moist tongue and lips.

Kurt's trail of kisses continued, down Blaine's torso and his sides until he was forced to kneel on his knees in order to carry on any further.

Blaine's eyes widened at the sight of the boy kneeling in front of him, and he was suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious. He had felt himself growing hard for the past several minutes and his chest was burning with increased desire but his brain felt uncertain of whether or not he was ready for this much contact so soon.

Kurt immediately noticed the look of trepidation on the boy's face and stood back up, caressing the boy's cheekbone with his gentle fingers once again.

"It's okay Blaine." He whispered, leaving a gentle kiss on the boy's forehead. "If you're not ready we don't have to go any further."

Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep inhalation. The feeling of apprehension was still lingering but had subsided to some extent.

He wanted his. He always had.

Kurt was beautiful. He'd loved him from the moment he'd laid eyes on him on that first day he started at McKinley.

"Kurt." He said, as he opened his eyes once again. "I want this. I want you."

Kurt pulled him in close for another deep, passionate kiss and Blaine followed suit, his hands anxiously roaming around Kurt's naked torso and down to the waistband of his jeans. He looked up at Kurt, silently asking for permission to continue and his heart soared when he saw the smile and the subtle nod from the taller boy.

He unclasped the button on the jeans and slowly unzipped Kurt's fly.

Kurt tipped his head back and released a guttural groan as Blaine reached his hand inside and began caressing his hardened member over the thin cotton layer of his underpants. His hands found their way back to Blaine's exposed abdomen and moved down to where his cock stood fully erect, twitching with every groan and grunt coming from the other boy.

The moment Kurt's hand made contact with him, Blaine's eyes shot open and his mouth opened in a rounded 'O' shape.

"Ohhhh Kuuuurt," he moaned. His hand clenched harder on Kurt's swollen member, eliciting a groan from the other boy.

Blaine quickly pulled the denim of Kurt's jeans down below his ass and began kneading and the ever-growing budge in the white underwear. Kurt's grip tightened on Blaine's member as he began stroking up and down the shaft, twisting and turning and using the slick pre-cum as lubricant.

Both boys' hearts were racing now as Kurt quickened the pace. Blaine continued to palm Kurt through his underwear, which was becoming impossibly tight.

"P-please take them off." Kurt groaned, and Blaine obliged. He managed to pull the underwear down with one hand, using the other to balance himself on Kurt's abdomen. He didn't trust his legs not to give out on him at this point.

The moment that Blaine saw Kurt in his entirety, he felt his cock twitch hard in the other boy's hand. He was beautiful – thick and full. He reached his hand around the shaft and began mimicking the movements that Kurt was performing on his own throbbing cock.

The two boys stood together, inches apart, stroking and caressing for only a few more minutes before Blaine could feel a swirl of heat building in his groin. He closed his eyes and leaned into Kurt further, pumping harder with his own hand on Kurt's swollen member, which was now leaking pre-cum of its own.

"O-ohhh god Kurt…" He stammered. "I-I think I'm g-gonna..."

Kurt looked down at the boy, panting and unable to speak. He continued to pump the boy's cock, and soon he could feel the same heat rising in his own body.

"B-blaine…"

Blaine's brain had shut off moments prior. His panting getting deeper and more rough sounding. He was trying to continue his quest to get Kurt to climax along with him but his hands grew weak and were seemingly no longer able to communicate with his brain.

"K-kurt… oh god…"

Kurt continued pumping his fist faster and harder.

"Kuuuuuuurt…"

Kurt closed his eyes as he felt himself grow closer and closer to the breaking point.

"Kurt."

Panting. Groaning. Whimpering. Moaning.

"Kurt… Are you okay?"

_Hmmmmmm… I'm better than ok. I'm getting so close Blaine._

_Wait what?_

Kurt blinked open his eyes again. .

Blaine Anderson stood several feet away, still clutching onto the tiny red towel, looking genuinely concerned.

"Kurt… you kinda zoned out there for a minute… are you okay?"

_Oh, for fuck sake…_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hee hee, I'm having so much fun with this…**

**Please leave comments! I love to hear your thoughts! **

**Thanks for reading :)**

**-RH**


	11. You're Gonna See

Chapter Eleven

"Kurt?" Blaine repeated again.

Kurt shook himself and after taking deep breath, he chanced a look up from the floor to where the scantily clad Blaine still stood dripping wet, with a look of both apprehension and confusion.

He faked an awkward smile and nodded, "Yes, I'm fine," before turning to walk out of the locker room.

"Kurt, Wait."

He froze but did not turn around.

"What were you doing in here?" Blaine's voice held a slightly accusatory tone.

Kurt closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

_Well, I'm obviously not going to mention anything about my history book. We all know how well that went last time._

His hesitation led to Blaine clearing his throat, making him speed up his thought process and forcing out words he hadn't necessarily thought over.

"I was looking for you." He said as he slowly turned around. He noticed that Blaine had not moved from his spot. Still standing in the middle of the locker room. Still with water dripping down his toned body and still only covered by the tiny red towel.

Kurt gulped and carried on with his explanation. "I needed to apologize Blaine. What I did was really awful and… You have no idea how sorry I am."

Blaine said nothing. He had a hurt look in his eyes that made Kurt's stomach fall to the floor.

_He looks like someone just kicked his puppy._

"Blaine, please." He begged, walking back towards the boy. "I've been looking for you for weeks. I was worried. Can we at least talk about it?"

This time it was Blaine who gulped. Kurt watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. But still, he said nothing.

Defeated, Kurt released a loud sigh and just looked at the other boy. "I'm sorry." He whispered, his voice cracking. Then he turned to leave when Blaine's equally weak voice finally spoke up.

"Just… let me get dressed okay?"

Kurt closed his eyes and breathed an audible sigh of relief and turned back to the boy, nodding. "Okay." He said with a smile.

Blaine turned to his left towards the lockers and startled slightly when Kurt cried out a warning, "Watch out for that bar of soap on the floor Blaine!" He turned around and looked at the taller teen warily.

"Thanks." Blaine replied suspiciously.

"Wouldn't want you to slip." Kurt said with a giggle.

_Or would we?_

Blaine couldn't quite understand what had been so amusing, but he noticed that Kurt had one eyebrow raised as though he was reminiscing about something genuinely entertaining.

Blaine turned to walk away once again and this time Kurt noticed several bruises speckling his ribcage and back. Bringing him quickly out of his musing, Kurt noted that the bruises were of several different colors of blues, greens and yellows and of different shapes and sizes.

"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed, his hand immediately coming up and covering his mouth in revulsion.

Blaine once again startled and turned around, eyes wide in uncertainty.

"Y-your back!" Kurt stuttered, pointing a long delicate finger towards the other boy.

Blaine instantly looked horror-stricken. The color drained from his face and his eyes began to dart around the room, as if he was looking for a place to hide.

_He knows. Oh my god. He knows._

"I-it's nothing…" He stammered.

"Blaine, let me see." Kurt demanded.

Blaine shook his head and plastered an obviously fake smile on his face. "Really Kurt, I'm fine. It's just from football."

He watched Kurt slowly, waiting to see if the other boy had believed his story.

"Bullshit, Blaine. Let me see."

Blaine shook his head again and started backing away from Kurt. "I have to get dressed."

"Blaine, please." Kurt pleaded again, becoming increasingly worried. "I just want to make sure that you're okay."

The shorter boy deliberated for a few moments before dropping his head and slowly turned around facing the opposite wall. He closed his eyes and waited for Kurt's reaction.

As expected, Kurt gasped as he took in the sight once again. He walked over towards Blaine and gently placed his fingers over a discolored patch on the back of his left shoulder.

Blaine winced at the sudden contact, drawing into himself.

Kurt's heart broke into a million pieces as he considered the cause of the bruises.

"Blaine," he said slowly, turning the other boy around to face him. "Did you see a doctor about these?"

Blaine barely managed to shake his head. He continued to look down to the floor in shame.

"Blaine, your ribs. They might be broken or something."

"I'm fine Kurt." He stated. "Can I please get dressed now?"

Kurt nodded slowly, then added. "Blaine we need to talk about this. Have you told anyone what happened?"

Blaine's eyes widened in horror and he shook his head quickly, causing several of the water droplets that still stuck to his dark curls to fly off and splatter against Kurt's chest.

"Kurt you can't say anything! Promise me you won't say anything!" Blaine's breaths had become quick and ragged.

"Blaine, it's okay. I just think you should get checked out."

Again, the shorter boy just shook his head. "No. I can't"

A confused Kurt just stared at the other boy.

"I'm fine Kurt. Honest."

"I'm so sorry Blaine." Kurt said. "I shouldn't have pushed you that hard. I can't believe that you're still bruised after all this time."

Realization hit Blaine like a ton of bricks.

_He doesn't know._

He stood in his place, wavering, as his knees grew suddenly weak. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or saddened at this realization.

_I thought he'd figured it out._

A nauseated feeling grew in his stomach and for a moment, Blaine thought he might be sick.

_I thought he was going to help me._

"Blaine?"

_Maybe I should just tell him. _

"Blaine, are you okay?"

_I should tell him it's not his fault. I should tell him the truth._

Kurt was beginning to get worried. Blaine had somehow drifted off and was staring off into the distance.

_I can't tell him. I don't want anyone to know._

"Blaine? Please Blaine, you're scaring me."

Kurt placed a hand on Blaine's arm, a light touch, which seemed to bring the boy back to the present.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked slowly. "Are you alright?"

The boy nodded, considering his words. "It's okay. I-I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I just bruise really easy, that's all."

Kurt gulped, relief flooding his system. He nodded, "Okay, why don't you go get dressed and we'll talk."

Blaine turned and walked towards the lockers and gathered his clothes. As he slipped into his jeans and gingerly pulled on his letterman's jacket, a lonely tear streamed down his cheek.

_I should have told him._

* * *

Blaine returned several minutes later, carrying his overstuffed McKinley Titans duffle bag. He walked out from behind the lockers and set the bag down underneath the bench and looked at Kurt.

"Do you want to ditch the rest of the day and go grab a coffee or something?" Kurt asked him shyly.

Blaine looked up from the floor and blinked a few times before answering, "S-sure. Sounds great." He was relived that Kurt had not continued the conversation. He'd decided that he wasn't ready for Kurt to know anything just yet.

Together the two boys snuck through the corridors of the school and out to the parking lot.

"Do you want meet me somewhere or…" Kurt asked, turning to the shorter boy as they walked across the pavement.

"I don't have a car." Blaine replied.

"Oh. Ok then, hop in. I'll drive." Kurt gestured towards the black Navigator. "I know a great place."

Blaine climbed into the passenger seat of the vehicle and buckled up his seatbelt. "Nice wheels."

Kurt smirked and patted the steering wheel. "She's my baby."

The two boys made somewhat-awkward small talk as Kurt drove towards the _'Lima Bean'_, the coffee shop located several blocks away from the school. They never broached the subject of Blaine's injuries, instead choosing to discuss music and movies.

Kurt giggled as the same familiar _Katy Perry_ tune started pouring out of his speakers.

"What's so funny?" Blaine asked.

"Just a good song. That's all." Kurt replied with a mischievous grin.

They arrived at the coffee shop and Kurt stepped up to the counter and ordered his usual Grande nonfat mocha before turning to Blaine, "What would you like Blaine?"

Blaine flushed a furious shade of red and replied, "I'm okay, thanks." He looked completely ashamed when he added, "I didn't bring my wallet with me today."

"Don't be silly, I invited you! It's on me. Now – what can I get you?"

Blaine looked back up and smiled, the tiny sparkle returning to his honey brown eyes and replied, "A medium drip would be great. Thanks."

Kurt paid for the coffees and waited at the counter while Blaine went and found a table for them. The coffee shop was nearly empty, but he chose a table near the back of the café, away from any of the windows or curious onlookers.

The barista smiled and winked at Kurt, a regular customer of hers, as she handed him the two cups. "Enjoy sweetie."

Kurt looked pleasantly perplexed but thought nothing of it, as he tossed several coins into the tip jar and took the two coffees, before joining Blaine at the small two-person table.

He handed Blaine his drink and settled down into his chair, holding his mocha in both hands and taking a deep inhalation, the smell of chocolate and coffee filling his nose and comforting his soul.

"Thanks Kurt." Blaine said, after taking a tiny sip of his scalding beverage. "You didn't have to."

"It's the least I could do Blaine." Kurt replied, setting his drink down on the table. "After what I did, it really is the absolute least I could do."

A rush of guilt plagued Blaine and the same sorrow he had been feeling earlier rumbled in his stomach. He knitted his triangular eyebrows and looked up at Kurt with a look of sadness.

"Please stop apologizing Kurt. It really wasn't that bad."

"Blaine." Kurt said, cocking his head to the side, "You bruised like a peach. It _was_ that bad."

_Yeah, but it wasn't you who caused them._

"Let's just forget about it." Blaine offered. "The past is in the past. Let's move on."

"Deal." Kurt sighed but agreed, raising his paper cup and doing a mock toast with the other boy, complete with a tiny 'clink' noise, which made Blaine chuckle. Kurt decided that he really enjoyed it when the other boy smiled. When it was a genuine smile, there was this tiny spark that flashed in his eyes.

"So where have you been the past few weeks? It was like you dropped off the map or something." Kurt said, taking another sip of his steaming drink.

"I, uh, was on holidays with my family."

"Oh wow. Where did you guys go?"

The curly-haired boy said the first thing that came to his mind. "Canada."

_Seriously? Canada? Damn it._

Kurt giggled. "Seriously? Why Canada? It's almost November, Blaine. Isn't it like, _winter_ there?"

Blaine shrugged, "We have family up there."

Kurt nodded. "Interesting. Why go in October though?"

"We had an early Thanksgiving thing." It sounded plausible.

Kurt nodded again. "That's nice." He took another sip of coffee and then added; "I think it's just going to be me and dad again for Thanksgiving this year. Unless Carole and Finn are coming over. They seem to be at my house – all the time." He emphasized the last three words like they pained him to speak.

This time Blaine nodded. "How's that going anyways?"

"You mean me and Finn?" Kurt snorted. "It's not going at all. I think he hates me."

One side of Blaine's mouth crept up into a near-smile. "I doubt that Kurt."

"Well singing to him certainly didn't help." Kurt said with a horrified look as he recollected the memory. "That was just awful."

The two boys continued to chat about nothing important until long after their coffees had turned cold.

Both boys had lost track of time until Blaine suddenly looked at his watch and jumped up from the table. "Oh my gosh. Look what time it is! I have to go! I-I'm going to be late…" He looked up at Kurt and flushed again, before adding, "For work."

"Oh? Where do you work?"

"Abby's Bakery, down on 12th," he answered quickly, and then with an embarrassed look, he added, "I make the biscotti."

Kurt chuckled. "I love biscotti. You'll have to bring me one sometime."

"Will do. But I really have to go. I'll talk to you later ok?" Blaine replied, hastily grabbing for his duffle bag. "Thanks again for the coffee."

And before Kurt could reply, the curly-haired boy was gone.

* * *

Kurt didn't see Blaine again that week, which he thought was odd, but since things were so tense with Finn, he thought it best not to even bother asking him if Blaine had been to football practice.

The following week at school, Kurt and Tina were walking down the hallway towards the choir room for Glee when disaster struck.

The teens were both wearing their costumes for 'Theatricality Week', which featured a number from one of Kurt's many idols – Lady Gaga. Kurt was wearing a shiny silver dress, complete with pointed shoulders and silver leggings. He was also wearing tall, sparkly silver platform heels and a white pompadour wig. Tina donned a blonde wig, knee-high white boots and a dress, which looked as though it was covered in bubbles.

Kurt was proud of his costume. He'd spent the entire week working on it.

The pair had been walking down the hallway, minding their own business and casually discussing the opportunity for Tina to be able to express her "effervescent" side during the song when out of nowhere; strong hands shoved them both hard into the lockers.

Kurt picked himself up and shouted, "Excuse me? Were you dropped on your heads?"

The group of jocks stopped dead in their tracks, and David Karofsky turned around with a menacing glare, "What was that?"

Kurt glowered, "I think you heard me. I'm just saying, pick on me, that's fine, but don't throw around a girl."

Azimio stepped out from behind the group of jocks and spoke up, "Well lately, we haven't been able to tell the difference. We're not gaga for 'Gaga'." He looked at Karofsky and the two bullies chuckled.

Karofsky leaned back into Kurt, "You dress all 'freaky' and then you rub it in everybody's faces. I don't wanna look at it all day. It's weird. It makes my eyes tired."

Kurt was growing more agitated by the minute. "It's called being theatrical. We're showing off who we are. It's the same thing you do when you come to school with your football uniforms on." Kurt intentionally shot a glance over to Blaine, who was wearing his number sixteen jersey. The boy looked devastated. Kurt continued, looking directly at Blaine, "You're expressing yourself and we have every right to do the same."

Azimio, with a murderous look on his face, closed in on Kurt, "Well, you know what? The next time you feel like expressing yourself to look like a circus freak, don't be shocked when my fist feels like expressing itself against your chin!" He slammed his fist hard into the locker beside Kurt's head, making the teen visibly flinch. "Now I'm gonna knock that crazy fool crepe paper nonsense off you."

Blaine pushed his way to the front of the group and stood between the jocks and Kurt. "Guys, that's enough, let's go."

The two head jocks looked perplexed momentarily, but then Karofsky shook his head and snorted, "Yeah, whatever man. These two _freaks_ aren't even worth it."

As the group of football players made their way past Kurt and Tina, each one gave them a look of disgust.

Blaine turned to look at Kurt for a brief second, with an apologetic look written on his face, but before he could say anything, Karofsky hollered from down the hall, "Come on Anderson, don't stand too close, you don't want to catch 'the gay'."

Blaine looked back at Kurt and was about to say something but Kurt intervened, "Just… go." He sighed, then he took Tina by the hand and left the boy standing alone, wondering what on earth he had to do to make his 'friends' leave Kurt alone.


	12. Things You Might Not Wanna See

**Author's Note:**

**I just wanted to say a huge ~: THANK YOU :~ to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. It means so much to me that people seem genuinely interested in what I have to say! Thanks for your continued support, especially those who have left reviews.**

**Msdarque**** and ****DrizzleSnow**** (my most dedicated reviews) – thank YOU for your kind words. You inspire me to continue writing! This chapter - I dedicate to you.**

**-RH**

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Kurt sat downstairs on the chaise lounge in his bedroom that afternoon after school, with a needle and thread, repairing several tears in the silver fabric of his Lady Gaga costume. The gentle 'nudge' from Karofsky & Co. had resulted in multiple small imperfections in his delicate ensemble.

Things had begun to smooth themselves out slightly in the Hummel household. Following an invite from Burt, Carole and Finn had slowly moved in with them over the past couple of days. Carole, of course, was now sleeping upstairs with Burt (much to the disgust of Finn), and Finn himself had taken up refuge on the fold-out couch in the basement, next to Kurt's bed. Even though Kurt had constructed a makeshift partition curtain from designer fabric, Finn had protested to no avail, and Kurt knew that the taller teen was obviously uncomfortable with the new living arrangements, so he had simply kept to himself and had not even initiated a conversation with him.

Things had been slightly awkward only once for Kurt - The morning after Finn had slept over for the first time. Kurt had woken up, and like any other weekday, made his way to his bathroom for his morning routine. He'd dozed slightly, as he walked, but then suddenly snapped awake as he noticed the gangly teen flopped haphazardly over the fold-out couch. Finn was so tall that his limbs were sticking out all over the place, hanging off the side of the tiny bed as he snored. Kurt had tilted his head in wonder and held back a small snicker before continuing on towards the bathroom. To date, there had been no awkward 'walk-ins' to the bathroom or anything, but Finn intentionally had kept his distance. It hurt, but Kurt could almost understand where the other boy was coming from. It was new to him too. This was _obviously_ not what he'd had in mind when he'd introduced his father to Finn's mom. Kurt could hardly believe that they were already moved in together. It had only been about a month! Burt had explained to Kurt prior to him asking Carole, that when people get to be their age and fall in love, there is no time to waste. Kurt was saddened only temporarily, in thinking that Burt was trying to replace his mother with Carole, but after a deep conversation (and a tub of Oreo ice cream together on the couch watching Mulan) Kurt had decided that Carole was going to be wonderful for his dad. And for him. After all, she was more than willing to let Kurt go shopping and help her chose new outfits.

Kurt looked over to where Finn sat on a white stool, facing the mirror on Kurt's 'manity', scrubbing at his face, attempting to remove his black face paint. The boys (less Kurt) had performed a stirring rendition of the _Kiss_ classic _'Shout it Out Loud'_, complete with leather costumes and black makeup.

Kurt had to admit, most of the boys had pulled off the look. Puck's ass had looked _fine_ those black leather pants, and Finn, well… yeah.

Although, as much as it pained him to admit, the idea of ever becoming romantically involved with Finn was becoming more and more of a pipedream. The boy was just too damn straight.

_Still, it couldn't hurt to look, right?_

Kurt decided to break the stalemate.

"Can you have a word with Azimio and Karofsky about harassing me without damaging my Gaga outfit?"

Finn looked up, his black and white painted face now held a red tinge as a result of the boy scrubbing aimlessly.

"Are you serious?" Finn looked astonished. "Do you know how difficult it is with those guys? They attacked me in the bathroom today Kurt. _Me_!"

Kurt looked the boy over. He didn't seem any worse for wear.

"You know what they said?" Finn continued. "'You move in with that little Kurt kid and now you've got a bad case of the gays.'"

Kurt would have laughed at Finn's impression of Azimio if not for the content of the message.

"Thanks Kurt. Thanks a lot. They already think we're boyfriends."

Kurt struggled to contain his smile.

_Would that be such a terrible thing?_

"Let them think what they want. They're Neanderthals. In three years they'll be cleaning my septic tank." Kurt supplied casually.

"Don't you get it? We live in Ohio, not New York! I don't understand why you have to make such a big spectacle of yourself." Finn exclaimed, gesturing towards the silver costume in Kurt's hands. "Why can't you just work harder at blending in?"

_Ouch_.

Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and looked away. He didn't think he could find the words to explain to Finn that he had been working on blending in for as long as he could remember. Now, finally, he was actually gaining the courage to even consider coming out of his shell and showing the world his true self. His clothes were a form of self expression. Maybe not the Gaga costume, Kurt admitted that it was maybe a teeny bit extreme, but his regular clothes, most of which were his own personal designs and combinations were his own (maybe not so subtle) way of showing the world that he accepted the fact that he was different.

Finn's harsh words burned through his mind for several more minutes. Kurt gathered up another round of courage when he noticed that the taller boy was still struggling with the black face paint.

He casually walked over to the vanity and pulled a damp cloth from a package and proceeded to try and help the boy wipe some of the makeup off.

The taller boy was oblivious to what was happening until Kurt touched his face, he then jumped up from the stool and slapped Kurt's hands away, with a horrified look on his face. "Don't touch me!"

Kurt put his hands up in defense, heartbroken for a second time.

_Christ, it's not like I was going to bend him over the table and have my way with him!_

"What is your problem Finn? It's just a moist towelette!"

Finn mumbled something about finishing in the laundry room and then stormed upstairs.

Kurt gritted his teeth then shouted after him, "Grow up Finn!"

* * *

After an awkwardly quiet dinner that evening, Kurt had convinced Finn to join him in the basement to show him a surprise.

"I had to skip school to finish it, but I think you're really going to like it." Kurt said as they walked down the basement steps.

He flipped on the light switch which revealed that Kurt had redecorated the basement in several different colors and designs that afternoon, in hopes that Finn would appreciate what Kurt thought to be a more traditionally 'masculine' scheme. Truth be told, the room was far from masculine. There were different shades of pink and burgundy fabric draped throughout the room.

"Consider it a peace offering after all the yelling that we've been doing."

Finn just huffed something under his breath and ignored him.

"It's a perfect blend of the masculine and the feminine." Kurt explained, "And the muted and the theatrical."

Finn looked astonished. "A-are you freaking insane? I can't live here. I'm a dude."

Kurt was speechless.

"What the hell is that suppose to be?" Finn scowled, pointing to the opposite side of the room.

"It's a privacy partition." Kurt explained, walking over to his newest purchase. "It's the only one I could find on such short notice."

Finn shook his head once more, still looking visibly upset.

"Why are you getting angry about everything? I worked hard on this."

"Why is it so hard for you to understand?"Finn finally scowled, turning towards the corner of the room where Kurt stood. "I don't want to get dressed in front of you."

Kurt's brows furrowed.

_Where did that come from?_

Kurt was about to reply, but Finn continued in an obviously distressed tone, "Why can't you just accept that I'm not like you?"

A blush crept up Kurt's face and he looked down to the floor in shame as he whispered, "I have accepted that."

"No, you haven't. You think that I don't see the way you stare at me? How flirty you get? You think I don't know why you got so excited that we were going to be moving in together?" Finn threw his arms up in the air as he finished venting his frustrations.

Kurt was pissed. He was pissed that Finn would say such horrible things, he was pissed that the taller boy was not as oblivious as Kurt had assumed he was to his affections and he was pissed that Finn didn't appreciate the hard work that Kurt had put in to re-creating the shared bedroom.

"It's just a room Finn!" Kurt shouted. "We can redecorate it if you want to!"

Finn was also becoming increasingly angrier. "Okay. Good!" He shouted in return. "The _first_ thing that needs to go is that _faggy_ lamp!" He pointed towards the brand new brown and gold lamp that Kurt had purchased that very afternoon.

Kurt's jaw dropped.

_Did he just say…?_

"Then we can get rid of that _faggy_…" Finn had started before he was interrupted by heavy footsteps thundering down the basement stairs.

"Hey!" Burt Hummel shouted, pointing a finger towards Finn, whose face had lost every ounce of color. "What did you just call him?"

Finn started to backpedal, both verbally, as he began to stutter out a defense and physically as he backed away from the obviously distraught Burt.

"I d-didn't call him anything! I was just talking to the blanket…"

Burt continued to stomp towards the other boy, still pointing a finger and looking as though he was going to skin him alive. "I know what you meant! When you use that word, you're talking about him. Like being gay is wrong. Like some kind of punishable defense." Burt's tone changed from agitated to disappointed as he continued. "You think it's okay to come into my house and say 'faggy'? I thought you were different Finn. I thought that being in Glee Club and being raised by your mom meant that you were some new generation of dude, who saw things differently. I guess I was wrong."

Finn looked shocked; his brain was searching for words to create an appropriate response, but was interrupted as Burt continued with his tirade.

"I'm sorry Finn, but you can't stay here."

Kurt, who had been nestled in the corner of the room, taking in the altercation, gasped.

_What was he saying?_

Burt shook his head and continued on once more, "I love your mom and maybe this is going to cost me her, but my family comes first. I can't have that kind of poison around."

Burt turned around and looked towards his son with pride, "This is our home Kurt." Then he looked back towards Finn, "He is my son. Out in the world you do what you want, not under my roof."

Finn stood open-mouthed for several moments, waiting to see if the older man would come to his senses and change his mind. When Burt didn't, Finn turned around and scurried back up the stairs, leaving the two Hummel men to exchange wordless glances; Burt expressing to his son his immense pride. And Kurt, telling his father soundlessly, that he loved him and appreciated the support.

Burt clapped Kurt on the shoulder, "The place looks great." And he too climbed up the stairs, leaving Kurt alone as his tears began to fall.

* * *

The following afternoon in Glee class, the girls (plus Kurt) donned their Lady Gaga outfits for their final performance for "Theatricality" week. Both groups sat in the choir room anxiously awaiting the arrival of Mr. Schuester before they could begin their performance.

Kurt sat giggling with Tina before noticing that Finn was staring at him.

He turned around and looked at the gangly teen, wondering what it was he ever saw in him. It hurt him to admit that he'd been so desperately wrong about Finn.

Finn leaned in towards Kurt, "I wanna talk about this…"

Kurt frowned and lowered his voice to just slightly above a whisper. "There's not much to say," He said, shaking his head, "I feel sorry for you. I thought you were different."

Finn looked crushed. "I am different."

Mr. Schue made his appearance then, ending the conversation, much to Kurt's approval. He didn't think he'd be able to maintain his composure for another conversation with Finn.

* * *

Kurt was finished classes for the day, Glee club was done and he was going to the bathroom to change out of his Gaga outfit for the last time. The 'Bad Romance' performance had gone extremely well. He was quite proud of himself as he walked into the tiny bathroom on the North end of the school. Kurt often chose this bathroom because it was so far off the beaten path that no one regularly used it.

He had just placed a hand on the counter of the sink and reached down to remove his left silver platform heel when he heard the door swing open.

"Hey there, Nancy boy."

_David Karofsky. Oh goody._

Kurt stood back up and was about to turn and walk out of the bathroom, when he was grabbed by both Karofsky and Azimio.

"We warned you." Karofsky said menacingly.

"Now Gaga's gotta go." Azimio added with a sneer.

Each of the jocks had grabbed him by an arm and they pulled him over underneath the window. They slammed him up against the wall and his head smacked into the hard concrete.

Kurt tried to cower away from the two jocks as tears freely flowed from his eyes. They had never threatened him like this. Usually it was just a quick shove, but this… something was different. A shiver ran up Kurt's spine as he absorbed the death glares coming from each of the two football players.

Kurt dug deep and found some false bravado.

"Fine. You want to hit me? You want to beat me up? Go ahead. But I swear to you, I will never change.

I'm proud to be different. It's the best thing about me. So, go ahead, hit me." His voice cracked only slightly on the last syllable, but the tears had continued to flow freely.

The two mammoth-sized boys exchanged an amused glance before setting their sights back on Kurt once again.

"I believe I will." Azimio smiled an evil smile as he looked at Karofsky. "Sir - would you like to go first?"

Kurt closed his eyes and prepared himself as Karofsky raised his clenched fist.

"You're not hitting anyone."

Kurt released the breath he'd been holding and peeked open one eye to see who belonged to the voice that just saved his life.

Blaine Anderson stood in the doorway of the bathroom with his arms crossed across his chest and a _very_ stern look on his face.

Karofsky and Azimio dropped Kurt, who hadn't even realized that they'd hoisted him up off his feet.

Blaine looked around the two boys until his eyes met the beautiful glasz ones belonging to Kurt.

"Kurt?" He asked slowly, "Are you alright?"

Kurt couldn't speak. He only nodded slowly.

Azimio and Karofsky exchanged glances again, only this time, they were written with utter confusion.

"Anderson? What the fuck?"

Blaine ignored them as his stare remained with Kurt. His honey eyes glistened with sincerity. "I'm not going to let anyone lay a hand on you."

"Dude. What's wrong with you?" Karofsky waved a hand in Blaine's line of vision to get the boy's attention.

"Get out." Blaine said with a growl.

Azimio looked amused. "Dude. You been takin' crazy pills or somethin'? What the hell's gotten into you?"

"I said get _out_. You're not going to hurt him anymore." Blaine swallowed as both Karofsky and Azimio strutted over to where he still stood in the doorway.

Kurt's brain had begun to function once again as he watched his two tormentors walk over to the much (much) smaller boy.

_Oh god. They're going to kill him._

Karofsky looked incredibly angry. "Really dude? Cuz I'm pretty sure we can take both of you." He looked over to Azimio again and the two jocks shared a fist bump.

"Just leave him out of it this time." Blaine scowled. "He's suffered enough at the hands of _you_ two idiots."

Kurt gasped.

_Yup, he's dead._

"Dude, you _playin'_ with me?" Azimio questioned, an eyebrow raised. "Cuz I _know_ you did _not_ just say that to _my_ face."

"I said it, and I _meant_ it. Now get the _hell_ out of here and leave him alone." Blaine gritted his teeth.

_Oh Christ. Someone call an ambulance._

The first punch that flew caught Blaine directly on the chin, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.

A fierce growl escaped the younger boy's lips as he straightened himself out and leapt at the pair of unsuspecting jocks. He was able to land a solid punch to the side of Azimio's face before his arms were trapped down at his sides by Karofsky.

Azimio straightened up and wiped a tiny trail of blood from his split lip with his thumb before advancing on Blaine once again. "You little prick. I'm gonna _end_ you."

Blaine struggled to release himself from Karofsky's tight embrace, but to no avail. A second punch landed in his gut and he let out a loud "ooommmmpphhh" as he fell to the floor in a heap.

This time he was picked up off the floor by Azimio and held while Karofsky pulled back his fist, ready to strike.

Blaine aimed a strategically placed elbow to the midsection of the older boy who had grabbed him from behind. Azimio fell to the ground howling.

Karofsky's eyes turned black as he reached over and grabbed Blaine by the collar of his Letterman jacket and shoved him roughly up against the bathroom wall. Blaine's head struck the cement wall not dissimilarly to Kurt's moments before.

Blaine's vision sparkled with stars and he suddenly felt nauseated. He prepared himself for the punch that he knew was coming.

Only it didn't come.

"You have to stop this!"

Kurt pushed his way over and pulled Karofsky off of the smaller boy.

Karofsky looked shocked at the newfound courage that Kurt displayed. Azimio was just now getting back to his feet, while still holding a hand to his crotch as he shot daggers at Blaine with his eyes.

"Ohhh homo, you're gonna get it now. Get out of my way Anderson."

Blaine didn't move.

He had put his arm in front of Kurt and moved so he was standing in between him and the jocks.

"So what? You have a problem with him just because he's gay?"

"Fucking right." Karofsky said with a snarl.

Blaine seemed to hesitate for a moment. He gulped, looked at Kurt briefly, before looking back up at his former teammates.

"Then I guess you have a problem with me too."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Da da da daaaaa! Blaine just came out! (FINALLY) ;)**

**I need some feedback from my readers – I have most of this story planned out already and what I have planned is pretty dark. Starting in the next chapter – things get pretty intense. **

**Do any of you have issues with this? **

**I'm also not too sure what I can write that stays within the "M" rating. What counts? What doesn't?**

**I'm worried that my account will get deleted if I go overboard. For this reason, I am posting it on "Scarves and Coffee" as well, so hopefully between the two – my story will remain available for your viewing pleasure!**

**I would love to hear what you guys think! Thanks for reading! (And reviewing!)**

**-RH**


	13. It's Still Not That Easy

**Author's Note:**

**I just want to say a special THANK YOU to MSDARQUE, who helped me out with this chapter. I was humming and hawing about posting it for the past few days. It's an important chapter and I wanted it to be perfect. Thanks for your support!**

**Enjoy Blaine's 'Coming Out Party'! **

**It's my longest chapter yet! Please leave a review and tell me what you think! :)**

**-RH**

* * *

Chapter 13

Kurt's jaw dropped.

_Wait, what?  
_  
He blinked furiously, trying to calm himself, as the steady stream of tears that had been freely flowing down his flushed cheeks slowly diminished.

Surely he hadn't heard that right._ Right?_

Karofsky and Azimio appeared baffled. They glanced at each other, one obviously hoping that the other would be able to fill in the blanks.

Several seconds later, it was like a light bulb clicked on above Azimio's head and his eyes widened as he finally realized what Blaine had just admitted to.

"Holy fuck, Dave! Anderson is a fag!"

Karofsky laughed nervously, and then looked back at Blaine, who remained standing in front of Kurt, not smiling. He then returned his dumbstruck gaze back to Azimio and lifted an eyebrow, as if to say 'for real?'

Azimio only nodded.

"Jesus Fuck 'Z'! It's getting worse. The gayness is spreading!" Karofsky cried with a disgusted sneer. "And it's all _'Homo Hummel's'_fault." He used exaggerated the angry slur by using air quotations.

Azimio backed away from both Kurt and Blaine, with his hands raised in front of his face in mock surrender. "Puh-puh-please don't infect me! I don't want to be turned into an ankle-grabbing faggot!"

Blaine's eyes instantly narrowed and turned intensely dark. He gritted his teeth momentarily before launching himself once again at the football player with an almost inhuman growl.

He leapt up and grabbed the hulk of a teenager by the collar and was about to land a left hook when his tightly clenched fist was grabbed from behind by Karofsky. The bulky teen twisted Blaine's arm around behind him, effectively pulling the boy away from Azimio. With his left hand restrained, Blaine hastily swung his right arm around and clocked Karofsky above the eye with a wicked backhand.

Karofsky howled and swung Blaine around by his arm, smashing him back into the concrete wall.

Blaine's nose was the first point of contact with the wall. Kurt heard an appalling _crunch_before blood began to pour down his rescuer's face.

"Enough!" Kurt screamed, now putting himself between Blaine and the two jocks. "That's enough!

Karofsky faked a lunge towards Kurt but the pale boy held his ground and remained still.

Azimio scoffed and grabbed Karofsky by the arm of his football jacket, "Come on man, let's get the fuck up outta here. Leave these fuckin' fairies be." His voice was still an octave or two higher than usual, Blaine's elbow having obviously caused the jock lasting discomfort.

Kurt's stomach clenched when Azimio spat out a mouthful of saliva mixed with blood, which landed on Blaine, who was still crouched on the floor pinching his actively hemorrhaging nose.

Blaine, looking entirely appalled, shot up from the floor and was about to launch himself at the teen yet again when Kurt put an arm around his waist, successfully holding him back.

"Blaine! Leave him! It's not worth it!" He struggled to maintain his grasp on the boy who, Kurt learned, was significantly stronger than his stature suggested.

"Yeah, _Blaine_, listen to your _girlfriend_." Karofsky taunted.

The rumbling growl that came deep from Blaine's throat sent a shiver up Kurt's spine.

As Karofsky and Azimio started to leave, Azimio turned back around and looked at both boys in disgust, _"Fuckin' queers."_

The moment they were gone, Kurt hurried over and locked the bathroom door and turned around to face Blaine, who had since slid back down to the floor and was still bleeding profusely.

"Blaine?"

No answer.

"Blaine?" Kurt said again, walking cautiously towards the other boy as though he was walking into the den of a family of lions.

Blaine looked up suddenly, still pinching his nose and noticed Kurt staring at him.

"Are you okay Kurt?" His voice now had a nasally pitch to it, as he was still struggling to control the bleeding.

Kurt almost laughed at the hilarity of Blaine's question. There he was, sitting on the floor, black and blue and bleeding like a stuck pig and he was asking Kurt if _he_was ok.

_Who is this guy?_

Kurt nodded, "Are you? Why did you say all those things?"

Blaine seemed to be confused momentarily, and then it was as though he instantly recalled the proceedings of the past several minutes and a look of trepidation was briefly etched his swollen face.

Still he said nothing.

"You shouldn't have said those things Blaine. You shouldn't have done that just for me." Kurt whispered gently, offering the boy a hand.

Blaine hesitated, then took Kurt's hand and clumsily got back onto his feet.

"I didn't." He stated matter-of-factly. "I did it for me."

Kurt paused, looking directly at the shorter boy, trying to get a read on what he'd just admitted.

"So... It's true?" He asked hesitantly.

Blaine sighed and leaned over the sink, allowing several droplets of cherry red blood drip from his nose into the white porcelain sink. As each drop connected with the white surface, it spread wide, mixing with the remnants of water in the sink, and leaving an ugly trail of red streaming down towards the drain.

Blaine still hadn't answered the question, so Kurt took a few steps off to his left and gathered a handful of paper towels before moistening them under the faucet.

"Can I help?" He offered with an innocent, toothless smile.

Blaine only nodded.

Kurt gently dabbed the handful of damp towels against Blaine's battered face and the two boys shared a brief moment of gazing deep into each other's eyes. The stare, albeit brief, sent shivers up Kurt's spine until he was forced to look away. That minuscule gaze, deep from the soul of one boy to the other, had answered Kurt's question.

He continued to gently clean the blood from the other boy's face in silence as he contemplated what this development meant.

Blaine was gay.

Kurt deliberated silently for several minutes, trying to decide what an appropriate next course of action would be. Should he ask him about it? Or should he pretend he didn't know and let Blaine decide if and when he wanted to discuss it with him?

Kurt recalled not long ago when he was struggling with his feelings and emotions when he first came out. It hadn't been easy, and he would have _killed_to have had someone to talk to.

Kurt decided to test the waters.

"Does anyone else know?"

Blaine continued to stare into the sink. Kurt thought the boy was going to evade yet another conversation until he finally spoke up in a broken, meek voice that Kurt could hardly recognize.

"I'm sure most of the school knows by now. They've probably already spray-painted it on the walls."

Kurt's heart broke for the boy. This was obviously not how he'd planned to come out.

If he had even planned to come out at all.

Blaine's voice displayed every ounce of pain that he was feeling and Kurt couldn't help but feel like he was to blame. Where was the brave hero that had just saved him, moments ago, from certain death? Well, maybe not death, but certainly some serious pain and anguish.

His heart ached for the other teenager. Kurt knew all too well how difficult it was to come to terms with something as significant as his sexuality. He had a sudden urge to reach for the boy and simply hold him in his arms, lift the blood soaked curl off his forehead and tell him that everything was going to be alright.

But it wasn't going to be alright, Kurt silently admitted. It was going to be a rough and horrible experience.

Being 'out' in Lima, Ohio was not an experience for the faint of heart. Kurt shuddered as he recalled all of the times that he'd been bullied and tormented for being who he was. It broke his heart further when he realized that Blaine was about to embark on a similar journey that would no doubt lead him into the same murky waters. Kurt felt a sudden desire to protect the smaller boy. He wanted to shield him from what he knew was inevitable; a life of torture and pain.

The majority of the blood was now wiped from Blaine's face. Kurt could now see that underneath that layer of blood was some significant physical damage. Blaine's nose had still not stopped bleeding, there was a deep reddish-purple bruise on the left side of his chin, and he noted a sizable lump forming on the back of Blaine's head, visible beneath the mass of dark curls. The boy also wore a nasty gash above his right eye, which had thankfully stopped bleeding, but still appeared red and angry.

Kurt stepped back away from the boy and tossed the now-bloodstained towels in the garbage bin before retreating into the bathroom stall and unwinding a handful of toilet paper. He walked back over to where Blaine was still leaned over the sink, aimlessly staring at himself in the mirror, an empty look of hopelessness carved into his masculine features.  
"Here." Kurt offered, handing the wad of tissue towards the boy. "Roll some of this up and stick it up your nose. It will help stop the bleeding."

Blaine didn't turn around, but he moved his glance towards the reflection of Kurt in the mirror, obvious doubt written on his face.

"Oh just shush and try it." Kurt chimed. "I'm sorry, but I left all my heavy-flow tampons at home. They work wonderfully."

Blaine's eyes grew large.

Kurt rested his hand on the boy's shoulder with a sigh. "Blaine. It was a joke. Relax."

Blaine still remained silent.

_Oh._

Kurt continued to look at Blaine's dishevelled appearance through the large mirror over the sinks, while the boy rolled up a few squares of toilet paper and carefully stuck them in his left nostril, effectively controlling the bleeding.

"What do you say we try and clean some of the blood off your jacket?"

Blaine looked down at the angry red stains as though he hadn't expected them to be there. The light spatters of blood almost blended in with the crimson felt fabric of his jacket, but were significantly more visible on the beige sleeves.

He looked back up at Kurt with sad eyes. "You don't have to help me." It was hardly more than a whisper.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Kurt exclaimed. "You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me. I'm the reason you're all smashed up!"

"No, you're not Kurt." Blaine replied quickly. "You'd never hit me."

"You're right, I wouldn't. But nevertheless Blaine Anderson, today you were my knight in shining armour and I vow my allegiance to you." Kurt said theatrically, taking an exaggerated bow. "Or at least to offer my expertise in removing stains from assorted fabrics."

This time Blaine caught the joke, and although he didn't outwardly laugh, that tiny sparkle that Kurt loved so much, returned to his eyes momentarily.

Kurt helped Blaine shrug off his jacket and proceeded to scrub away at the stains, while Blaine scrubbed his hands feverishly, removing layers of dried, crusted blood. Kurt hadn't missed the slight wince from the boy as he pulled his arm out of its sleeve. Apparently the punch from Azimio had done some damage underneath the skin as well. Kurt decided not to push the issue, he was just glad that Blaine was accepting his help.

When they were both finished, Blaine looked almost presentable. He shyly ran a hand through his hair, which was now a slightly frizzy mass of curls; Kurt's scrubbing having gotten rid of the majority of whatever hair product he'd been using to control his mane. He looked back through the mirror at Kurt's reflection and gave him a subtle but effective nod.

_Thank you._

Kurt acknowledged Blaine's silent appreciation by squeezing his shoulder again.

Kurt excused himself, as he went into one of the stalls and changed into his regular clothes. He returned moments later, wearing a pair of tight black pants and a flamboyantly constructed designer top with a scarf around his neck, happy to discover that Blaine had still waited for him.

"Much better." Kurt smiled. "Wanna get outta here? It reeks of smelly boys."

The corners of Blaine's mouth curved upwards ever-so-slightly as he suppressed a grin. He nodded.

"I know a quiet place that not too many people know about. Let's go sit and talk."

Blaine took a deep breath and nodded again. "Okay."

As they walked out of the bathroom, Kurt took a quick survey of the hallways to make sure no one was hanging around. School had let out a while ago, so he was almost certain that they'd be left alone. After pausing momentarily to pick up his messenger bag and allowing Blaine to sling his duffle bag over his left shoulder, Kurt grabbed Blaine's right hand in his and pulled him into the hallway.

"Come on, I know a shortcut."

Kurt led Blaine through the corridors, strolling quickly to avoid detection. Since both boys had the straps of their bags on their left shoulders, it was an almost awkward arrangement, having Kurt's right hand interlocked with the fingers of Blaine's right hand. The shorter boy just stared in wonder as he was led through a hallway he was certain he'd never been down before.

Their pace quickened, and Blaine was forced to jog a few steps to keep up with Kurt's long and graceful strides, never once releasing his grip from the other boy's strong but delicate grasp.

They finally slipped through a door marked _'Emergency Exit Only'_and for a fleeting moment, Blaine was worried that they would set off some type of alarm. But they exited the school without hindrance and made their way into a courtyard behind the school that Blaine didn't know even existed.

"It's the elementary courtyard. We're safe here." Kurt explained as he set down his bag.

He removed a sweater from his satchel, placed it on the ground and sat down on it under a large oak tree. The majority of the leaves had already fallen from the tree, providing a soft and comfortable pillow for him to sit on. He motioned for Blaine to join him, and after only a moment's hesitation, he dropped his duffle bag and took a seat next to his new friend under the tree.

Both boys sat quietly under the shade of the tree with a cool autumn breeze whistling around them. It hadn't yet begun to freeze in the evening and no snow had yet fallen, but the bitter wind of the afternoon sent a quick shiver up Kurt's spine. Perhaps this hadn't been the best place to bring Blaine.

_He probably thinks I'm trying to freeze him out. _

Several moments later, Blaine was still staring off into space and Kurt was busying himself by braiding several long blades of yellowing grass together. He then proceeded to fold the three chains of the grass into one, creating a unique looking bracelet which he expertly tied around his own left wrist.

It was as if both boys were unsure of how to proceed. They both knew that there were issues to discuss, but neither of them knew where to start. After several more moments of silence, Kurt turned towards Blaine and took his hand once again.

_It's now or never. _

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it right now, but I just want to say thank you Blaine. What you did back there, standing up for me like that - no one has ever done that before. So, for what it's worth, it really meant a lot. "

Much to Kurt's surprise, Blaine, though still refusing to make eye contact with Kurt, responded immediately.

"I'm just sorry that it took me so long."

Kurt smiled, released the boy's hand and looked back out across the yard. "I'm sorry that you got hurt. You probably hate me for that."

Blaine finally turned his head back to face Kurt, his eyes dark and sincere.

_I could never hate you._

Blaine shook his head and replied boldly. "I'd do it again tomorrow Kurt."

Kurt blushed slightly and smiled, unknowing what to say in response.

"I wanted to tell you."

It was said in such a hushed whisper that Kurt couldn't be sure that he hadn't imagined it. He looked at Blaine, who sat motionless, staring down at the ground, anxiously waiting to see if the boy would say more.

"B-but I was scared about what you might think of me, and I wasn't ready for everyone else to find out." Blaine finally lifted his head to look at Kurt. It was apparent by his facial expression that he was worried about what the other boy would think of his lack of courage.

"Do you hate me?"

Kurt's face softened.

_I could never hate you._

"Of course I don't hate you Blaine." He said sympathetically. "Why would you even think that?"

"You're so proud of who you are Kurt. I mean, look what you're wearing..." Blaine said pointedly, gesturing towards the taller boy's unique ensemble. "You are not afraid to show people who you are. But me? I can hardly admit it to myself."

Kurt sighed deeply. "Blaine. It has taken me years to get to this point. And look at all the crap that still gets thrown my way. I am not exactly _comfortable_ with displaying who I am to the world just yet. I'm just getting really good at faking it and pretending that it doesn't bother me."

Blaine smiled and looked down again. "I just wish I had your courage."

"What you did today in that bathroom took more courage than I'll ever have."

Blaine didn't reply, and both boys sat silently once again for several more minutes until another chill found its way up Kurt's spine.

He was about to suggest that they move their little discussion inside when Blaine spoke up again.

"It's not the first time I came out at school."

This was news. Kurt nodded slowly to Blaine, encouraging him to continue.

"I was fourteen when I finally came to terms with... things." He hesitated. "I think I knew long before that but I tried for a long time to change it."

Kurt felt a pang in his chest.

_Been there._

"Some of the kids in my class started making jokes about the gay guy on some TV show. When I wouldn't join in, they started making fun of me and calling me a..." He paused, and looked up at Kurt who indicated with a nod that he knew the exact word that he was implying.

Blaine took a deep breath before continuing. "They started spreading rumours all over school about me and finally one day I just admitted that it was true. I guess I hoped that they would stop bugging me about it if I came clean."

"Did they?"

Blaine scoffed.

"Hardly. It was ok for a few days but then it got pretty bad. It really... _pissed_ me off. I even complained about it to the faculty. They were sympathetic and all, but you could just tell, nobody _really_ _cared_. It was like 'Hey, if you're gay, your life's just going to be miserable. Sorry, nothing we can do about it'." Blaine finished off with a dark stare.

He paused again, obviously re-playing a memory though his mind before continuing. "There was a Sadie Hawkins dance. I asked a friend of mine, the only other gay guy in the school."

Kurt could tell that Blaine was having some reservations about telling this story, so he shuffled slightly closer and pulled the boy's hands into his own and offered him an encouraging smile.

Blaine gulped and forced the faintest of smiles before continuing with his tale.

"While we were waiting for his dad to pick us up..." His voice faltered as his mind searched for the words. Kurt noticed that Blaine's eyes were growing increasingly moist and were close to spilling tears down his already bruised and battered cheeks. It was obvious to Kurt that Blaine was trying to remain strong. He was a tough guy – he'd already proven that, and Kurt knew that Blaine would likely be more upset if he let himself cry. He watched as the boy sniffled and nonchalantly ran a sleeve over his eyes to remove the excess moisture before it had a chance to cause him any further emotional turmoil.

Blaine paused only briefly before continuing, "These three guys...ummm..." He shrugged slowly and paused again, a lone tear had now escaped and was streaming down his cheek. "...beat the living crap out of us."

Kurt stared in disbelief.

"I-I'm so sorry." He whispered, gripping the other boy's hands tight.

Kurt would have liked to have learned more about the tragedy but didn't want to pry any more information from the already emotional Blaine.

They just sat, hands intertwined for several more minutes until Blaine had collected himself once again.

"I've never told anyone that story."

"Thank you for telling me Blaine. I know it was hard for you." Kurt answered, again offering the boy a simple smile.

Blaine nodded.

"We need to stand together now Blaine." Kurt announced. "We need to show those Neanderthals that we are not afraid of them and refuse to be pushed around."

Blaine looked at Kurt and nodded with a hopeful glance for the first time that day.

"_And,_" Kurt added, pointing a finger upwards for dramatic effect, "We're gonna tell them that if they don't like us. Too bad, we're here to stay."

Kurt knew that he had gone slightly overboard with his pep talk. It wasn't as though things were going to change dramatically overnight. He knew that it was still going to be a long and hard road. But he took comfort in the fact that he didn't have to travel down that road alone anymore. And he could tell by the new look of optimism in Blaine's eyes that he too believed that things could only get easier from here on in.

"Look Blaine, I'm not saying that everybody at school is ready to _'embrace the gay'_, but maybe at least they've evolved enough to be different."

Blaine looked slightly less hopeful.

"If you and I stay strong, maybe we can make a change Blaine."

As much as he appreciated the sentiment, Blaine had a very difficult time believing that people could be willing to change. But he liked the idea of not running away from his problems. Again.

"After I got out of the hospital, my parents transferred me to a different school. Dalton Academy. It's a private school with a zero-tolerance harassment policy."

Kurt noticed that Blaine's features brightened slightly at the mention of the all-boys boarding school.

"It was a nice change." Blaine admitted. "I was accepted there. No questions asked."

Kurt released Blaine's hands and tilted his head.

"Why did you come here then?"

The brightness vanished as fast as it had appeared.

"A-are you cold? I think we should go back inside."

Blaine's attempt to change the subject was far from subtle.

Kurt knew there had to be significantly more to Blaine's story but didn't push it. He nodded with a smile and stood up, dusted the leaves off of his sweater and stuffed it back into his messenger bag.

Blaine quickly followed suit and shrugged his football duffle bag back up onto his shoulder.

They slowly and silently walked back around the school towards where Kurt had parked his Navigator.

"Do your parents know?"

Blaine stumbled slightly.

_Damn it. _

"Y-yeah, they found out after I was taken to the hospital."

"Ouch."Kurt winced. "I bet they weren't too impressed finding out that way, hey?"

Blaine scoffed.

"You have no idea."

The words were said with such acidity that it chilled Kurt more than the cool weather could have. Again, he was certain that there was more to the story than Blaine was providing but this time, he couldn't help himself.

"Did they accept it? Are things okay with you now?"

Blaine chose to blatantly ignore Kurt's questions and once again changed the subject. He made a show out of pulling a silver pocket watch out of his jacket and checking the time. He then adjusted his duffle bag up higher on his shoulder and pointed a finger back towards the school.

"I should go. I don't want to be late."

_Okay Blaine. Obviously you're not ready for that chat yet._

Kurt decided to ease the obvious tension and lighten the mood.

"Late?" He questioned mockingly. "Late for what, White Rabbit?"

Blaine cocked his head to the side, looking momentarily puzzled. Then, as he recognized the reference, he grinned and shook his head in comic disbelief.

"I have to get to football practice."

Kurt stopped walking and looked at the shorter boy incredulously.

"You're kidding right?"

Blaine's triangular eyebrows furrowed. "No."

"Blaine. Have you forgotten what just happened? Karofsky and Azimio are going to be there."

"Kurt. I know. But I can't miss another practice. Coach Beiste told me that if I miss one more, I'm off the team." Blaine shrugged.

"But..."

"Kurt. I can't get kicked off the team. Football is my ticket out of here. I'm gonna get a scholarship and leave this place as soon as I graduate."

Kurt still looked at him in disbelief.

"Plus," Blaine started as he walked towards the entrance of the school. "I need to stand up to those guys. You said it yourself. I need to show them that I'm not afraid of them."

"Blaine. They are going to _kill_ you." Kurt squeaked as he watched the other boy walking away.

"Let them try." Blaine said in the most courageous voice he could muster. "I'm done hiding in the closet."


	14. For Me

**Author's Note:**

**TRIGGER WARNING – There are several upcoming chapters that contain violence, heavy swearing, and sexually explicit scenes. **

**This fic is rated 'M' for this reason. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.**

**Thank you,**

**-RH**

* * *

Chapter 14

_I can do this. I can do this. I can do this._

Blaine shrugged his duffle bag up higher on his shoulder and clenched his fists. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, held it momentarily, and then released it. He then cautiously opened the door into the locker room and soundlessly snuck inside, expecting to be instantly blasted with a torrent of homophobic slurs and violent actions.

"Hey dude, what's up?" Blaine nearly jumped out of his skin as Puck spoke up from somewhere behind him, giving him a swift smack on his shoulder on his way around him, heading towards his gym locker.

_Well he obviously doesn't know yet._

Blaine ducked his head down, inadvertently ignoring the greeting and continued towards his own locker, located on the far end of the room near the showers.

He had only a few steps to go before another voice echoed through the locker room.

"Hey, Anderson!"

_Oh god. Here it comes. _

Blaine tensed up but did not turn around.

"Oi, Blaine! Throw me my jersey, dude!"

_Or not._

Blaine grabbed the red football jersey from on the bench and turned around to throw it to Mike.

'Thanks man… Dude! What happened to your face?"

_Uh oh. Forgot about that._

"I tripped over my dog and fell down the stairs." Blaine invented with a forced laugh. "Dumb hey?"

Mike chuckled. "I didn't even know you had a dog."

_That's because I don't._

Blaine turned back around, hoping to get out of the spotlight. He'd noticed several more sets of eyes turn and look at him after Mike had asked him about the bruises face.

Several minutes passed with no disruption before Blaine suddenly felt a large hand pressing on his shoulder, forcefully turning him around.

"Dude! What the fuck?"

Blaine cowered away from the voice slightly but when he was forced to turn around, Finn Hudson was looking down at him.

"Blaine, I'm talking to you!"

"F-Finn… I…" Blaine stuttered, his brain trying to come up with something fast.

"Whoa dude!" Finn exclaimed. "You get into a fight or something?"

Blaine's heart skipped a beat.

_What?_

"D-dog… tripped me. I fell."

"Oh." Finn replied, obviously dropping the issue. He turned towards his locker and began to change. "Why the hell didn't you come play video games with us last night at Matt's? We were one guy short for Call of Duty."

_What the…? Do they really not know yet? Or are they all just fucking with me?_

"Sorry Finn." Blaine offered. "I had homework."

Blaine looked around the room for the first time and realized that no one was looking at him. Either no one knew or no one cared. He briefly searched for Karofsky and Azimio and realized that they'd not yet showed up to prepare for practice.

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief and gingerly pulled off his shirt. His ribs were still aching.

_Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought._

He'd just struggled through pulling on the long sleeve Under Armor shirt he wore under his football gear when he heard a voice that made his blood run cold.

"Jesus fuck, guys! Who let the _girl_ in here?"

Azimio had arrived.

Blaine released an audible sigh and closed his eyes.

_Here we go._

There were several frantic seconds where guys were desperately grabbing towels to cover themselves and a few awkward yelps before Puck finally looked around the room, not even bothering to cover himself up.

"Girl? What girl? What are you talking about Z?"

"Didn't you guys hear the news? There's a new girl on the team." This time it was Karofsky's voice echoing through the lockers.

Blaine still refused to turn around. He gripped the locker in front of him with white knuckles and kept his head low. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Many confused glances were noticeable around the room. It was apparent that none of the other football players had been informed.

Karofsky walked over to where Blaine was standing.

"Anderson?" He questioned. "Do _you_ know of any _girls_ on the team?"

_It's now or never._

Blaine turned around slowly and came face to face with a locker room full of guys looking at him in bewilderment. It was as though they were waiting for him to fill in the blanks and explain what it was that Karofsky was so obviously enjoying. The thug had a huge grin spread across his face and was rubbing his right fist with his left hand, as though it was just itching to throw another punch.

Blaine gulped and looked over at Finn, who may have looked the most confused at all. Puck was still standing in the middle of the room, now up on top of the bench. Still uncovered.

Blaine returned his look to Karofsky, who was now standing immediately behind him, looking down at him with hungry eyes like Blaine was easy prey.

Blaine gathered his courage, remembering his conversation with Kurt only minutes before and shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about Karofsky."

The smile on Karofsky's face melted away and was replaced with a menacing scowl.

"I think you know _exactly_ what I'm talking about… _homo_."

Several gasps throughout the locker room did not go unheard.

Blaine turned to look away from the much bigger teen but was vigorously grabbed by the shoulders and slammed back into the edge of his locker. The hinge immediately dug its way into Blaine's spine, causing him to release a soft gasp.

"No. You do _not_ get to turn away from me. You get to tell the guys what you just told me and Z."

Blaine winced as the pain in his ribs surged to new levels with the increased force of Karofsky's hands on him. The tiny whimper that escaped his lips made the masochistic grin on Karofsky's face grow wider.

"Tell them _now_."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and looked Karofsky directly in the face before whispering through gritted teeth. "I don't have to do anything_,_ you _asshole_."

The finger grips on each of Blaine's shoulders tightened, and Blaine had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from crying out.

"Dude?" Puck had jumped down from the bench and stepped towards his two teammates. "What the fuck is going on with you two?"

Karofsky didn't avert his stare from the shorter boy and Blaine refused to look away either. They were locked in a battle of wills; neither boy inclined to break the stalemate.

Puck turned and looked at Finn, who was still standing several feet from Blaine, looking as dumbfounded as ever. He shrugged his shoulders and gave Puck an, _'I have no idea' _look before returning his gaze to the confrontation.

Azimio made his way over towards the two boys then turned to face the remainder of the football team before announcing, "We caught Anderson in the bathroom making out with the fag Hummel."

Blaine's stomach clenched as the room permeated with shocked gasps and quiet mumbling.

_Oh god._

Finn's eyes widened, "B-Blaine… what the fuck?"

The look of horror on the quarterback's face broke Blaine's heart into a million pieces. He struggled to keep calm, but his breaths were shallow and rapid. His knees suddenly felt very weak and he was almost thankful for a miniscule second that Karofsky still had a strong hold on him, or he may have slid down to the floor.

"I-I…" Blaine stuttered. He had no words.

As he quickly glanced around the room, he noticed several guys had shocked looks, many appeared horrified, but what hurt the most was that Puck had grabbed several pieces of random clothing and had haphazardly covered himself up. Puck had never before been shy about covering himself up in the boy's change room before.

"That's right Puck, cover that shit. Fag boy here has probably been creepin' at your junk this whole time." Azimio chimed with a disgusted snort.

Blaine released a painful sigh. He still didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, and he probably _loved_ having showers here after practice too. Didn't you guys notice that he's always the last one to have his shower? That's cuz he's always watchin' everyone else in there." This time it was Karofsky who spit the angry accusations towards the group of teens.

"Oh my god." Finn said, a look of betrayal present. "That's totally true."

"Finn?" Blaine exclaimed, "I…" but he was interrupted as Karofsky slammed him even harder into the locker.

"Shut up faggot." Karofsky threatened, his face only inches away from Blaine's ear. "Or I'm going to kill you."

This time Blaine's knees did give out and he started to feel nauseous. Karofsky maintained his ironclad grip on his shoulders, which Blaine was certain was going to add to his growing portfolio of bruises.

"Its true then?" Mike asked warily. "You're… gay?"

Blaine hesitantly looked around the room at all of the anxious faces.

_Courage. Courage. Courage. _

"Yes."

It was all Blaine could possibly do, not to throw up all over Karofsky. That certainly wouldn't help his predicament.

"B-but I didn't…" Another loud chorus of loud gasps, sneers and mumbles interrupted him again, and with each additional slur, Blaine felt a stabbing pain cut through his chest like a hot knife.

Instantly ashamed, he looked away and was not the least bit surprised when he felt Karofsky loosen his grip and he tumbled to the floor in a heap.

"_Blaine. I can't believe you lied to us."_

"_That's disgusting."_

"_Do you think he saw my junk?"_

"_Homo."_

"_Fuck, that's gross."_

"_I can't believe he's a fag."_

"_Oh my god, I think he smacked my ass after that touchdown last week!"_

"_I didn't know gays could play football."_

"_What if he tried to attack one of us in the shower or something?"_

"_Fag."_

"_He shouldn't be allowed in here."_

"_With Hummel? Really?"_

"_Do you think he will get kicked off the team now?"_

"_We can't have a gay guy on the team."_

Each of the sneers and jeers swam around in Blaine's mind like fish in the ocean. He stayed propped up against his locker, still sitting on the floor, and watched in horror as each of his 'teammates' came to their own conclusions, none of them bothering to even look in his direction.

It felt as though his world had just crumbled to the ground around him.

"I can't believe… you… and Kurt…" Finn stumbled, incredulously.

Blaine glanced up from his position on the floor, "Finn, it's not like that… I…"

"I can't believe _you're_ a fag too."

The word coming out of Finn's mouth stung more than any of the physical violence inflicted by Azimio or Karofsky early that day.

This was Finn. He was supposed to be his friend.

Blaine struggled to keep his composure. He had to make a conscious effort to get to his feet, his ribs now protesting like they'd never done before.

"Finn, please… let me explain…" He said walking towards the taller teen with his hands outstretched in front of him in surrender.

"No!" Finn shouted, backing away. "Don't fucking touch me."

Blaine's eyes widened in horror and he felt them burning as tears welled up in their corners. He turned away from the quarterback and sat down on the bench next to his locker, unsure if his feet would be able to hold him up much longer.

Blaine was so far gone now that he didn't hear Puck step past Finn and give him a look of disdain as he whispered, "Whoa dude, that was pretty harsh."

Blaine remained on the bench, devastated and physically numb in disbelief. Nothing seemed real to him. It felt like he was watching a movie or something, not that this was actually happening to him for real. He couldn't compare this heartbreak to what it was like in his old school. He'd been taunted, but this was beyond taunting.

This was emotional carnage.

The remainder of the team still fumbled around, slowly turning back to their lockers and getting dressed for practice before Coach Beiste stormed into the change room.

"What the hell is going on in here?" She screamed. "Practice started seven minutes ago! Get out there now! You'll all run twenty laps before we get started! Go! Get out there now!"

A few of the boys that were already close to being dressed grabbed their shoulder pads and escaped quickly. Several – including Blaine, were hardly started.

"What have you guys been doing in here? Having a damn tea party? Let's go!"

Blaine still remained on the bench, unmoving.

"Anderson! Did you hear me? I already told you if you miss one more practice you're off the team. You get your ass out there in 3 minutes or you're finished here."

Blaine looked up slowly and nodded, reaching robotically for his football pants.

_Kurt was right. I am going to get killed today._

* * *

Blaine hadn't run three of the required twenty laps before the pain in his ribs was excruciating and his lungs felt like they were on fire. Normally he would run twenty laps without breaking a sweat. He was by far the fittest guy on the team and usually finished well in front of the group. Today however, he was laboring along, being lapped several times by the other football players. He found that by holding his left arm tight around his abdomen while running, the pain in his ribs subsided, but only slightly.

As he finished the third lap, a new wave of nausea overtook him and he barely had time to remove his helmet before was forced to quickly run to the nearest garbage can and spill the contents of his stomach.

He was still retching into the bin when Coach Beiste approached him and for the first time looked at the weakened and pale boy.

"Anderson, you look like shit, son."

Blaine wiped his face with the back of his hand and was attempting to put his helmet back on before a second wave hit him and he had to lean back into the bin. The dry heaves ripped through his chest and abdomen, increasing his level of pain tenfold. Black spots filled his vision and he felt himself wavering before two strong hands guided him to the ground in a sitting position.

"Easy there, Blaine. Take a seat." The coach cooed as she lowered him to the ground. "Did you get a bad batch of chicken for lunch or something?"

Several football players slowed up their running and were watching the scene play out; including Karofsky and Azimio, who hollered something about Blaine being 'too girly to run a few laps'.

Coach Beiste yelled back strict orders for everyone else to continue running laps before looking back at Blaine. "Do you need a few more minutes? You still look kinda green."

Blaine nodded. The black spots had vanished, but he couldn't promise himself that he'd be able to stand on his own accord just yet.

"Okay. Why don't you go clean yourself up? We're going to run some plays after this. I have a new formation I want to try."

The coach left Blaine sitting on the ground and walked back over to the running track, screaming at her team to pick up the pace.

Blaine took several more minutes to compose himself before he unsteadily made it back to his feet and stumbled into the locker room. He traipsed over to the sink and ran his hands under the cool water before throwing several handfuls over his face.

He glanced up into the mirror and frowned. He really _did_ look like shit.

_Look what they've done to you. You are a coward._

He blinked several times and tossed three more handfuls of water over his face before looking back up into the mirror, subconsciously hoping to see a marked improvement.

The same battered and bruised face looked back at him with sad, devastated hazel eyes.

_What happened to 'courage'?_

Leaning heavily on the sink, he slurped up a handful of cold water, which tore down his now raw throat and hit his empty stomach like a bucket full of nails.

_You're better than this. You can't let them beat you._

A second slurp of water.

_Stand up and show them that you are the same guy._

Another splash of cold water over his swollen face.

_Do it for Jake._

Blaine looked up into the mirror with renewed determination.

_Do it for Kurt._

He slipped his helmet back on and trudged back out to the field. The remainder of the boys had finished running their laps and were kneeling by the bench with their water bottles. Coach Beiste was standing in front of them, demonstrating what appeared to be her new formation on a whiteboard. A number of tiny 'X's' and 'O's' dotted the white space, which was filled with arrows pointing in all directions.

Blaine adjusted his helmet, tightened the straps and walked over to join the group. He stood in the back; so not to draw any more unwanted attention but could hardly see over the much taller boys in front of him to get a look at the whiteboard and learn the new play.

After several more minutes of discussion, Coach Beiste blew her whistle and instructed everyone to take their places on the field to practice the new formation.

Blaine took his place to the right of Sam, a new transfer student and the second-string quarterback.

He took a deep breath while waiting for the play to commence and looked across from him at the opposing linemen. Karofsky, Azimio, Puck and several others all seemed to be glaring back at him.

Blaine gulped and looked back to the ground in front of him before the whistle blew and he took off like a shot, crisscrossing through several players before finding himself wide open.

Sam tossed a beautiful spiral, which soared through the air and right into his waiting hands. Blaine looked upfield and saw his opening, ignoring the burning on his right side and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. The moment he'd made it across the goal line, he dropped the ball and looked back at his teammates who stood back watching him, dumbfounded.

The blonde haired quarterback approached him first and gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder, "Nice catch Blaine."

Blaine noticed several other players on his side give him approving nods, but nothing else was said.

What was really apparent though, was the anger emitting from Karofsky and Azimio. They glared continually at Blaine as he walked back to his end of the football field.

"Great job Blaine! Well done. Let's run it again." Coach Beiste blew her whistle.

The two opposing teams lined up a second time and ran the play again. This time, Blaine pivoted to the left and split between Puck and Azimio and looked back behind him to Sam, who was mid throw. The ball was coming a little further than Blaine had accounted for, so he jumped up and stretched his arms out wide and collected the ball, bringing it tight into his chest.

His feet had barely made contact with the ground before a freight train connected with him from the right side and sent him soaring through the air.

A freight train named David Karofsky.

Blaine landed on his back and the air was forced out of his lungs instantaneously with a loud 'ooommpphh'. The ball fell from his outstretched hands and rolled away, quickly covered up by a member of the opposing team.

Beiste blew her whistle again. "Nice tackle Karofsky! Next time don't kill him though…"

Blaine lay on the grass gasping for a few seconds before he noticed Karofsky and Azimio standing over him.

"Fags don't belong on the football field." Azimio spat.

Karofsky offered Blaine a hand up, which Blaine, still dazed, accepted. Karofsky gripped his hand tight and pulled the boy half way to his feet before releasing his hand and causing Blaine to fall once again on to the grass with a groan.

"Oops, my bad." Karofsky snickered and the two of them walked away, leaving Blaine in a heap.

Practice continued on like this, with Azimio and Karofsky taking every opportunity to tackle Blaine, often using significantly more force than necessary to take the smaller teen down. He was tackled once by Puck, who gave Blaine an apologetic glance after he'd knocked him sprawling, but he still did not help the other boy to his feet.

Blaine's ribs were protesting every time he took a breath. There were several more times that he'd seen the black spots come back into his vision, but he kept pushing himself harder and harder, refusing to give in and stay on the ground after taking the hits.

"Okay guys, lets run this one once more then we can get outta here." Coach Beiste said, blowing her whistle for what felt like the ten-thousandth time that day.

Blaine groaned.

_Once more. I can do once more._

He lined up beside Sam again, not fully leaning into his ready position because his ribs were screaming at him to stand straight up. The whistle blew and Blaine took off across the field, wincing with every step. His lungs were throbbing and begging him to stop, and several new black spots danced in front of him.

Now into the endzone, he turned away from Puck and twisted back to the left, turning towards Sam with his arms outstretched. The throw came, another perfect spiral, and Blaine timed his feet with the ball, allowing it to fall gracefully into his arms. Another touchdown.

He slowed to a stop and dropped the ball and released the painful breath he'd been holding.

_It's done. I caught it. Now I can…_

His thoughts were interrupted as he was attacked from behind.

The crushing blow from the helmet of Azimio knocked him off his feet and sent him airborne - directly into the football uprights. His left shoulder connected first, sending a screaming jolt of pain up into his neck, as he lay there unmoving.

"Azimio! What the hell were you thinking? The play was dead!" Blaine could vaguely hear Coach Beiste screaming at the other teen but it sounded like she was very far away, or underwater, or… something.

Coach Beiste pushed her way past the other players and moved over to where Blaine still lay sprawled on the grass.

"Everyone, get out of here. Hit the showers. Enough for today."

The remainder of the football players scurried into the locker room, not paying much attention to Blaine, who was now, finally able to roll over and sit up… sort of.

He picked up his head woozily and through blurred vision, noticed Azimio and Karofsky exchanging high fives as they walked towards the locker room.

Blaine also happened to notice that Mike, Puck and Finn had all stayed back behind the rest of the team. Blaine couldn't be sure, but it almost looked like the boys each shared a nervous (and maybe guilty?) glance at each other before they too, exited the field.

Blaine had still not made it to his feet when Beiste arrived at his side. "Blaine, honey. Are you okay? That was a pretty nasty hit you took there."

Blaine blinked multiple times, trying to rid himself of the blurred vision that still continued to plague him. The sharp, stabbing pain in his left shoulder was intense now and he hissed audibly when he moved to stand up,

"Easy there cowboy. Take it slow."

Blaine was gracious when Beiste's two strong hands once again lowered him back down to the ground. He rested his back against the pole of the uprights and closed his eyes, silently praying for whoever was playing the drums behind his eyes to give it up for the night.

"You wanna talk about it?" Beiste offered after several minutes of silence. She'd set herself down on the grass next to Blaine and waited silently for his reply.

Blaine forced his eyes open, thankful that the black spots and blurred vision had seemingly disappeared.

"Huh?"

"Whatever is going on with you and the guys? You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Okay." She said, putting her hands in her pockets and leaning into Blaine until their shoulders were touching. "I'll wait till you're ready."

Blaine was puzzled.

_Does she know? Great. Do all the teachers know?_

"Blaine. I know there's some stuff going on for you right now. I overheard some of the things the guys were saying in the change room before practice. I know you might not want to talk about it right now, but I want you to know that I'm here if you need to talk. Any time, okay?"

Warmth spread throughout his chest that overpowered the throbbing ribs and the fire that was burning through his shoulder. Blaine could feel the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

_I should tell her._

He looked up from the ground and into the face of his football coach. He'd never paid much attention to her appearance before. Besides her obvious masculine stature and harsh exterior, Blaine could tell that she'd been a beautiful girl when she was younger. She had the most gentle eyes. Blaine had heard from some of the guys that she'd recently married a football recruiter only a few weeks before his arrival at McKinley, but he didn't know any more details about her home life than that.

The gentle frown lines and crow's feet that streaked her face were no doubt caused by years of stress and exposure to the harsh elements. The bright red lipstick she often donned, no doubt her single attempt at proclaiming herself to be a woman. There was no doubt in his mind that she likely struggled to deal with the downfall of being a woman in a typically traditional men's profession.

Blaine could only imagine the hard time a person of her 'physique' would have undoubtedly had to deal with growing up. It was apparent to Blaine for the first time that out of anyone at this school, his coach might actually have a clue about what it meant to be a little bit different from everyone else.

_I should tell her._

He couldn't prevent the single tear that escaped his eye and streamed down his bruised and dirt-covered cheek. He nodded his head and reached up to unbuckle his helmet, temporarily forgetting about the pain in his shoulder. He hissed, and retracted it back down into a position of comfort, slung gently around his middle.

"Here," Beiste offered. "Let me."

She reached up and gently unsnapped the chinstrap and loosened the helmet. She reached around with her other hand and smoothly pulled the helmet off Blaine's head and rested it on the ground next to him.

"There we go." She said softly. "Are you doing okay?"

Blaine only nodded.

_I should tell her._

"That was a rough practice Blaine. I couldn't believe how many hits you took. I was impressed that you were still able to get up after some of them. You never let yourself stay down, and for that, you should be very proud."

Blaine nodded.

_Are we still talking about football?_

"Your shoulder looks pretty messed up Blaine. I think you should go to the doctor. Do you have someone to take you?"

Blaine looked up at her and nodded. "Yes. My mom will take me." He said quickly.

"Good. I think that's necessary. You got a little banged up hey?" She said, nodding towards his black eye and the now darkened bruising on his face.

_Does she know?_

_I should tell her._

He nodded absently. "I tripped over my dog and fell down the stairs."

_The lie gets easier the more you tell it._

She looked skeptical, but she said nothing. She leaned back into Blaine and put her arm gently around his shoulder.

They sat there for several minutes in silence before Blaine realized that it must be getting late into the afternoon.

"I should go. I have… work."

"Okay Blaine, but just remember what I said, okay?"

He nodded and took a deep breath before he grabbed onto the upright post with his right arm and tried to hoist himself to his feet.

"Come on, lean on me Blaine. I'm not going to topple over." She said with a wink. "I'm pretty sturdy."

Blaine smiled for the first time and nodded, leaning ever-so-gently into the much larger woman.

"You know, us black sheep… we gotta stick together."

Blaine flashed a second smile as he was finally in a semi-standing position, now crouched over, holding his left arm over his middle, both comforting his aching shoulder and clutching at his tender ribs.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"Of course Blaine." She replied. She slung her arm over his shoulders and helped him limp his way towards the change rooms. "Sometimes you just have to be able to ask for help."

He nodded. "I know."

A few more minutes of silence, aside from some pain-filled grunts and groans from Blaine had them standing near the entrance to the change rooms.

"You be sure to call me if you need someone to take you to the doctor okay Blaine?" She handed him a business card with the familiar 'McKinley Titans' logo on the front. "I'd be happy to take you."

Blaine looked stunned.

"Why would you do that? Help me like that?" Blaine asked, accepting the card and turning towards his new favorite football coach.

"Because Blaine. You will _never_ know how much you've helped me." A single tear found its way down her cheek, which she casually wiped away, obviously hoping that he hadn't noticed.

Blaine was perplexed.

What is she _talking_ about? I've helped _her_?

Beiste never elaborated on her statement, but she leaned into Blaine once more and gently squeezed his shoulder.

"You _are_ loved pumpkin. You are _not_ alone."

Blaine stood stunned for a moment before she gently squeezed his shoulder again and nodded towards the change room.

"You'd better get going. I'm sure all the guys are changed and out of there now."

He smiled and nodded again. "Thank you Coach." He meant it.

They both smiled, fighting back stray tears and headed their separate directions, neither noticing the slim, pale figure watching everything from up in the stands.

* * *

Blaine stumbled his way into the change room and was happy to discover that it was completely silent. Coach was right, everyone had vacated already.

_I think she kept me behind on purpose._

He was fighting a smile as he turned towards his lockers. The scene he found before him ripped the partial grin from his face and sent waves of anger, devastation and betrayal flowing though his battered and beaten frame.

His locker had been broken into and all of his belongings were removed from his duffle bag. His school books were strewn about the floor, some with the covers torn off, and others missing pages.

All of his clothes were tattered and torn and gathered in a pile, which smelled strongly of urine.

His game jersey was hanging from the wall. His nameplate defaced; 'Anderson' was scribbled over with the words 'Lady Boy' with what looked like black permanent marker.

His shaving kit was ripped open and spilled all over the change room. The toothpaste tube was empty, its contents squeezed out onto the floor. His toothbrush and comb were in the toilet, along with a disgusting 'gift' from Azimio and Karofsky. His deodorant and cologne bottles were smashed and empty on the floor, and his shaving cream can was laying empty beside his locker which had the word "FAG" scrawled over the front in what appeared to be the remnants of his shaving cream.

But what hurt the most was seeing his letterman jacket ripped in half and stuffed into the urinal.

Blaine was shattered.

He wasn't sure if he felt mostly angry, frustrated, sad, or betrayed. The plethora of emotions that were surging through him made him lightheaded and sick to his stomach.

He was so engulfed in the scene that he didn't hear the door creeping open behind him.

"Blaine, are you alri… oh my god!"

Startled, Blaine turned quickly and came face to face with none other than Kurt Hummel.

Blaine was still speechless. He didn't know where to start. He stood in the middle of the locker room in a daze, unsure whether to laugh, cry or burst into hysterical screams.

Kurt took in the defeated posture of the boy and made up his mind quickly. He closed the gap between them and took Blaine into a deep embrace, ignoring the other boy's near-silent wince at the contact.

They held each other for several minutes before Blaine finally let his guard down and the floodgates broke open. He burst into uncontrollable sobs until he was shaking so heavily that Kurt lowered them both down to the floor.

Kurt continued to hold his new friend, running a hand through his sweat-covered curls and constantly whispering soft confirmations into his ear.

"Its okay Blaine. You're going to be okay. We'll get through this. It's going to be okay."

The two boys stayed like this for several minutes before Blaine's sobs finally let up, and he realized that he'd just lowered his barricades and suddenly felt extremely vulnerable.

"I-I'm sorry K-Kurt…" He stuttered, wiping his eyes.

"Don't apologize Blaine. You have every right to be upset. I can't believe they did this."

"It's not just this." Blaine indicated to the room with a nod. "At practice…"

"I know Blaine. I watched it all. Are you okay? It looked like your shoulder…"

"You were there?" Blaine looked shocked.

Kurt nodded and gently let go of Blaine's hands, which he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Of course I stayed to watch. I was scared for you."

"You were right." Blaine sighed, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "They tried to kill me."

Kurt smiled. "But I also saw you give them one hell of a fight."

Blaine's skin flushed pink underneath the blue and purple bruises. "Thanks."

"Okay." Announced Kurt, helping the other boy to his feet. "Let's get you cleaned up and to a doctor."

Blaine looked up at him in horror. "What? No. I-I can't."

"Blaine. You can't even lift your arm and I'm certain that those ribs are broken now if they weren't before." Kurt explained, pointing to where Blaine was absentmindedly still clutching his side.

Blaine dropped his left arm, as if trying to prove a point, but Kurt didn't miss the brief wave of pain that flashed through his eyes in the process.

Kurt shook his head in disapproval. "I'm not taking no for an answer. Go get showered and I'm driving you to the hospital."

Blaine turned and backed away from Kurt slowly.

_I can't. I can't. I can't._

He sat down on the bench gingerly and tried to take off his jersey, with minimal success.

Kurt sighed. "Come on, let me help."

Blaine hesitated only momentarily before nodding. He knew that wasn't going to be able to do this by himself.

Kurt was able to remove the white practice jersey but then fumbled around with the snaps and buckles on Blaine's shoulder pads. "Hmmmm, in the brief time I wore this fashionable ensemble, I never did get these damn things figured out."

Blaine tried to hide the smile that was tugging at the corner of his mouth.

After several moments, and multiple pained gasps from Blaine, Kurt successfully removed the shoulder pads and tossed them to the floor unceremoniously.

Blaine stood up from the bench and tried to tug off the sweat-covered Under Armor shirt, which was now plastered to his toned body. It was _not_ coming off without a fight.

He looked at Kurt again and wordlessly begged, 'a little help?'

Kurt smiled, "Jeez Blaine, I thought _I_ wore a lot of layers…"

Blaine smiled only slightly as Kurt reached over to help pull the skin-tight shirt off the shorter boy, exposing his tanned, but contusion-riddled upper body.

"Oh my god Blaine!"

Blaine quickly looked around for something to cover his chest with, but remembered that all of his clothes and towels were sitting in a filthy pile of urine and who knows what else.

Kurt reached up and gently touched some of the bruises on the other boy's torso. He sighed softly as he did a mental inventory of all of the cuts, scrapes and bruises that speckled Blaine's chest and sides.

He noticed with a pang in his own chest that there were more bruises than before, some old ones and some obviously newly acquired ones.

But what made his heart sink to the floor was the finger shaped bruising that surrounded both of Blaine's wrists.

Kurt closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before he trusted himself to speak.

"Blaine. What is going on with you? These aren't all from football."

Blaine's eyes widened in instant panic. He pulled away from Kurt instinctively but didn't get far before he staggered slightly. Kurt was there in an instant to catch him before he stumbled to the ground.

"Blaine, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Just please tell me what's going on."

Nothing.

"Blaine…"

"It's nothing. I'm fine." He refused to make eye contact with Kurt.

"You're not fine Blaine."

"I tripped over my dog and fell down…" He was interrupted.

"Bullshit. Blaine. What really happened? Did someone do this to you?"

Blaine began to flounder. "You were there. It was Karofsky and Azimio."

"No, it wasn't." Kurt said intensely. "Neither of them had you by the wrists Blaine."

Blaine turned white.

_Oh god. Oh god. Oh god._

Kurt took a break from his interrogation and slowly picked up Blaine's hands in his own once again. His fingers lingered gently over the angry purple bruises that marked up the boy's arms. He didn't know how he'd missed them before. It then occurred to him that Blaine rarely ever wore anything but long sleeve shirts under his football jersey at school. Kurt couldn't even think of any other clothes that he'd ever seen the other boy wear before. Had he been hiding these bruises underneath his football jersey this whole time?

"Blaine, I'm sorry but you need to tell somebody what's going on."

Blaine swallowed and looked up at Kurt.

"I-I can't go to the hospital."

"Okay." Kurt said. 'That's a start. Why not?"

_Because then they'll know._

"Just because, okay? I just can't." Blaine hesitated again. "I have to go home now."

He turned to leave, but was caught once again by Kurt's strong arms.

"Please Blaine, don't walk away from me. I want to help you."

Blaine stopped struggling and turned to face Kurt. He didn't say anything, only looked deep into the eyes of the taller boy and sighed.

"Go get showered and at least let me take you home, okay?" Kurt begged, using his best puppy eyes.

Blaine contemplated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone okay?"

A shiver ran up Kurt's spine at Blaine's request.

_What is going on with him?_

"Kurt? You have to promise me."

Kurt nodded reluctantly.

"Say it Kurt. Tell me you promise."

Kurt's chest ached as he took in the seriousness of the other boy's demeanor. He wasn't messing around.

"I promise." He squeaked.

Blaine nodded then turned around and limped towards the shower room after grabbing a small towel from the rack next to the free weight set.

It took several attempts and a near-fall for him to remove his skintight football pants and cleats, but soon enough Blaine was standing under the showerhead, letting the scorching hot water flow down his abused body. He treated himself to a bottle of body wash that lay abandoned in the shower stall and scrubbed himself the best he could with one arm. He spent several minutes letting the water flow over his head and down his face with his eyes closed in near-contentment.

His mind wandered back to what seemed like forever ago when he and Kurt were sitting under the tree. It seemed strange that it had only been just a few hours before.

~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~

_They'd been sitting peacefully for several minutes, Blaine looking off into the distance and Kurt fumbling with several long strands of dry grass. _

"_If it makes you feel better, I haven't always been this…out." Kurt had said unexpectedly._

"_What do you mean?"_

_Kurt thought for a moment before he chuckled. "I went through this phase a while back where I tried to be straight to impress my dad."_

_Blaine looked over to Kurt, with a shocked look on his face. "Do tell."_

_Kurt smiled and licked his lips as he recalled the memory. "It was bad. I even went as far as dressing in flannel and singing a few Mellencamp songs."_

_Blaine's eyes widened and a grin broke out across his face. "No shit."_

"_I'm afraid it's true. It was literally rock bottom for me."_

_Blaine laughed, licking his dry and swollen lips. _

"_How was I supposed to know that the song 'Pink Houses' wasn't actually about interior decorating?" __Kurt said incredulously._

_Blaine released a full laugh at this point. _

"_Brittany was the only one that saw right through my façade. We ended up dating." Kurt explained. He turned to Blaine and wagged a finger at him. "But don't __**ever**__ repeat that to anyone, I'll only deny it."_

_Kurt chuckled before adding, "I even put a sign up on my door when we were making out in the basement. It said 'do not enter under any circumstances - I'm making out with a girl' so my dad would intentionally come down and find us." _

_At this point Blaine was giggling uncontrollably. "Wait… you made out with Brittany?"_

"_Again. I'll deny everything."_

_Kurt sighed and fell back into the dry leaves. "And Finn. Oh god! Don't get me started on him…"_

_Blaine smirked again. "So I guess that's over then?"  
_

"_It never even got started. God, I made an ass of myself."_

_Another chuckle from Blaine was followed by several moments of silence once again. _

"_So, did it work? With your dad I mean?" Blaine said, suddenly serious._

_Kurt snorted. "Not even a little bit. I think he knew I was gay before I did."_

_They sat quietly again for several minutes before Blaine spoke up._

"_I have a hard time believing that you ever tried to hide your true self Kurt."_

_Kurt shrugged. "I'm a good actor."_

_Blaine frowned. "At least you know what you want. I wish I had half the courage you do Kurt."_

_Kurt shrugged again. "You're off to a good start Blaine. You told someone. You told me. That's the hardest part."_

_~~~ END OF FLASHBACK ~~~_

Blaine had lost track of time until the water began to run slightly cooler and he remembered where he was. He shut off the water and grabbed the small towel, wrapping it around his hips and stepped out of the shower stall. His muscles still ached, but he felt a thousand times better than he had before the shower.

When he reached the locker room, he noticed immediately that the mess had been cleaned up. His belongings were no longer strewn about and the angry slur had been wiped clean from his locker.

He walked over to the bench in awe and found a fresh set of clothes sitting there for him, neatly folded, along with a small bag containing deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush (still in the packaging) and a comb, along with several other bathroom-related items.

He picked up the pile of clothes and began to get dressed after drying himself off as best he could with the tiny 'Titans' towel.

He was standing in the change room with the jeans on, albeit unbuttoned, and was just doing up the buttons of the baby blue Marc Jacobs designer shirt when Kurt knocked on the lockers adjacent to where he stood.

"You doing okay?"

Blaine looked over to Kurt with an indescribable look of gratitude and nodded. "Thank you, Kurt."

"Well," Kurt said, picking up Blaine's discarded towel and tossing it into the hamper. "We can't have you wearing toilet clothes, can we?"

He looked over to where Blaine stood, with his dark curly hair still clumped together in wet locks. Several drops of water were still finding their way down his neck and disappearing under the collar of the shirt. Kurt couldn't help but notice that the shirt looked amazing on the shorter teen. He had a more defined musculature to his chest than Kurt himself had, and the shirt was tight in all the right places. The dark hazel of Blaine's eyes offset the light-blue color of the shirt and Kurt concluded that Blaine looked amazing with a little color. He could only ever recall seeing him in the red McKinley Titans football uniform.

Blaine smiled as he finished buttoning up the shirt and slipped on a fashionable grey sweater. He struggled in his attempt to button up the black skinny jeans that had been provided for him. Doing up a pair of jeans with one hand was hard enough, but when they were about three sizes too small and skintight? Blaine was finding it to be an arduous task.

"Uhhh… They're a little…snug…" He blushed as fumbled with the zipper.

Kurt grinned at the sight of the other boy squeezing into the tight black jeans.

_Would it be inappropriate for me to make a comment about him getting into my pants?_

Blaine finally managed to get the pants done up and ran a hand through his curly mess of hair.

"Don't suppose you have any gel?"

Kurt smiled again. "No, but if you ask me, you look better without it."

* * *

The two boys walked slowly out of the locker rooms and towards Kurt's car, which remained untouched in the parking lot where he'd left it that day.

"I can't believe you stayed here for me." Blaine exclaimed as he painfully crawled into the vehicle with assistance from Kurt.

"That's what friends do, Blaine. They help each other out." Kurt smiled and winked as he shut Blaine's door and walked around and climbed into the driver's side.

The drive to Blaine's house was quiet, with only small talk filling the air every now and again.

They talked about their favorite shopping centers and hangouts and Blaine mentioned a tea/coffee shop that was near his house called the 'Tea Tree'. They agreed that they would meet up someday soon so Kurt could sample a non-fat mocha. He'd proclaimed himself to be a mocha connoisseur so Blaine had insisted.

"It's the grey house just up there on the left Kurt. You can pull over here." Blaine said pointing to a two-story house with a white picket fence.

Kurt pulled the car over to the curb and looked at Blaine.

"You know I'm here if you need to talk, right?"

Blaine nodded shyly.

"You're sure you don't…"

Blaine cut him off. "No Kurt. I'm fine. If I need to go to the hospital my mom can take me later. Thank you though."

Kurt nodded hesitantly.

"You're going to keep your promise, right?" Blaine asked, obviously sensing Kurt's hesitation. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

Again, Kurt's chest ached, as he knew he was making a poor decision.

"Yes, Blaine. I promise."

"Okay." Blaine said, opening his car door. Before he painfully stepped away, he looked back at Kurt through the open window.

"Thank you Kurt. For everything. I'll get these clothes back to you as soon as I can, and the toiletries kit. I'll replace it all." Blaine sounded slightly overwhelmed.

Kurt stifled a laugh. "Blaine you worry too much. It's just some soap and a toothbrush. It's the spare kit that I keep in my locker for after slushy attacks and emergencies. Consider it yours to keep. The shirt and jeans look better on you anyways so you can hang onto them if you like, but I do want that sweater back."

Blaine looked utterly astonished. He couldn't come up with any words to express his appreciation.

Kurt noticed the hesitation and decided to break the ice.

"Sorry I didn't have any new shaving stuff to replace yours with. But really, Blaine – who shaves at school?"

Blaine collected himself and smiled.

"Not everyone is gifted with baby-ass-smooth skin Kurt."

"Did you just tell me that my face looks like an ass?"

Blaine's face went white as he sputtered out an attempted apology before noticing that Kurt was laughing at his expense. Childishly, Blaine glared and stuck his tongue out at him.

Kurt just smiled. "You're sure you don't want me to walk you up the steps to your house?"

"I'll be fine. I have to go around to the rear entrance anyways. There's a ramp there." Blaine concurred with a smile.

"Okay Blaine. Hope you… feel… better tomorrow. See you at school?"

Blaine nodded and smiled. "Sure. Have a good night. And again, Kurt, thanks." He turned away from the car and began walking away.

Kurt watched as the boy limped gingerly around the side of the grey house, giving him a tiny wave before disappearing into the back yard.

_Blaine, Blaine, Blaine. What the hell is going on with you?_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Phew! That was a loooong one!**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think! **

**Xoxo**

**-RH**


	15. A Red River

**TRIGGER WARNING – **

**The following chapter contains violence, coarse language and sexually explicit scenes - including ****non-consensual sexual acts.**

**This fic is rated 'M' for this reason. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**The night was eerily soundless apart from the steady dull thud of music that could be heard from inside the gymnasium. The sky was pitch black dark, with only a few stars shining in the distance. The grey clouds that lingered in the night sky made the cool February evening appear dreary. The light breeze flowing through town was just enough to make the trees sway gently and send a slight shiver up Blaine's spine.**

**He shuddered and pulled his arms into his torso, momentarily scolding himself for not bringing along a jacket. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and an orange and blue-striped dress shirt. It was his favorite shirt. He loved the way the collar sat just below his chin when he had all of the buttons done up. He didn't get a chance to wear it as often as he'd like. His father had told him that it wasn't formal enough to wear to any of the fancy dinner parties he was often forced to attend. But tonight was different. He'd known from the moment that he'd made plans to attend this dance that it would be his blue and orange shirt that he would wear. Something about it just made him feel relaxed. He didn't have to feel self-conscious or nervous. He could just be himself.**

"**Are you cold?" A deep voice interrupted his thoughts from beside him as he walked through the parking lot of the Westerville High School. **

**Blaine shook his head and smiled. "No, I'm good. I just should have brought my coat with me."**

**The second boy returned Blaine's smile and shrugged. "Do you want my suit jacket? That's the proper thing for the guy to offer, isn't it?"**

**Blaine blushed and looked down to the ground. He chose not to answer. **

"**What?" The voice said with a chuckle. "You're the one who asked me to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Doesn't that make you the girl?"**

**Blaine flushed an even darker shade of red as he shook his head. **

"**Jake... we agreed to go together."**

**The taller teen snickered and bumped his shoulder against Blaine's. **

"**I'm just messing with you Blaine. I appreciate you convincing me to go. It was actually kinda fun."**

**Blaine sighed. It hadn't been an easy decision to attend the dance. Although he and Jake had merely kept to themselves for the majority of the night, they were still cautious of announcing the fact that they'd actually showed up together.**

**Westerville, Ohio was a small town. Coming out as a gay teenager in a small town had not been a particularly enjoyable experience. Technically, Blaine wasn't really 'out' either. As far as he knew, only a handful of people from school had knowledge of his secret. He still heard whispers in the hallways as he walked to class every day and occasionally found homophobic slurs drawn on his locker. Once, he'd been unceremoniously deposited into the girls change room – immediately following gym class. **

**That particular experience hadn't gone over very well with anyone.**

**Blaine hadn't exactly wanted to expose his secret to his friends at school. He wasn't overly popular to begin with; he had a handful of friends that he'd made back in kindergarten, and he was hesitant to risk ruining the relationships he'd groomed over the years. **

**But he finally decided to come clean and he'd confided in his 'best friend' a few weeks prior to the dance. It hadn't gone well. At all.**

* * *

_~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~_

_Blaine and Alex had been walking home after school that fateful day. Both boys were bundled up in scarves, hats and mittens as a bitter January wind whipped through the air._

_Alex was rambling on about the new PS3 game that he was going to play that night until he noticed that Blaine hadn't been paying him an ounce of attention. _

"_Dude… what the hell?" _

_Blaine snapped his head up, facing his best friend with a guilty look written into his young features. _

"_Sorry Alex, what were you saying?"_

_Alex scoffed. "What's up with you? You've been AWOL all week."_

_Blaine took a deep breath. Now was as good a time as any._

_He stopped walking and looked over at the other boy. "I have to tell you something." _

"_Oh god. You're not pregnant are you?" Alex said with a laugh._

_Blaine's bushy eyebrows knit in confusion. "What? No." _

_He straightened his posture and looked back over to the other boy who was still enjoying a chuckle at his own attempt of a joke. _

"_I'm serious Alex. It's important."_

"_Okay dude, chill. I was just fucking around. What's up?"_

"_I…" Blaine started. _

_This wasn't going to be as easy as he'd hoped. _

"_Blaine, spit it out. My PS3 is calling my name."_

_Blaine looked down at the ground. "I-I'm… I'm gay."_

_Silence._

_Blaine kept his eyes focused on the ground, waiting for the backlash. Instead, he was surprised when Alex began laughing hysterically. He looked up at the other boy with wide eyes. _

_Not the reaction he'd been anticipating._

"_Bah ha ha ha! Oh Blaine! You're such a dork! I thought you were being serious for a minute."_

_Blaine's heart tightened in his chest. This wasn't good._

_Alex, still laughing to the point where he now held his aching abdominal muscles with both hands, suddenly looked back over to Blaine, realizing that the smaller boy had not cracked a smile._

"_Blaine… you are fucking with me, right?"_

_Blaine stood motionless, unsure of how to respond. Finally, after several nervous moments, he gently shook his head._

_Alex's eyes opened wide and he instantly stopped laughing. The smile disappeared from his face. _

"_You know we were all just fucking with you at lunch today about that fag in the movie, right? No one really thinks you're gay."_

_Blaine swallowed the large lump in his throat with great difficulty. He wondered to himself how many times he was going to have to hear that horrible word spoken out loud. Maybe he should have kept this to himself after all._

"_It's true, Alex. I am."_

_Alex's face turned white. "You're a… I mean…you like… what… when…?" He stammered, subconsciously backing away from his friend._

_Blaine noticed his retreat and his stomach clenched even tighter. _

"_I-I don't know. I guess I always have been. I j-just finally decided to accept it." He stammered, trying to answer all of the unasked questions that lingered so obviously in the air between the two adolescents._

"_Blaine. We're fourteen. Maybe it's just a phase?" It was more of a question than a statement._

"_It's not a phase, Alex. I think I've known for quite a while." Blaine countered, growing increasingly more uncomfortable._

"_Dude… you told me the other day that you thought Allie Harper was hot."_

"_She is." Blaine frowned. "Alex, I'm gay, not blind. She's a pretty girl."_

"_Oh god. You're not like…into me, are you? Cause that is… really not cool."_

_Blaine sighed. He really should have kept this to himself._

"_Alex… I…"_

_He was interrupted. "Blaine look, I have to go. I just remembered that my mom needed me home right after school."_

"_Okay." Blaine answered hesitantly. "Can I call you later?"_

"_No." It was a quick reply. Too quick, and the one syllable shattered Blaine's heart into even more tiny pieces. Alex was quick to add, "I have to study for my history exam next week." But the damage was done._

_Blaine couldn't speak, so he merely nodded his head sadly. Although he'd hoped to avoid this scenario, he wasn't completely surprised. _

_His throat tightened as he watched his former best friend walk away without so much as a glance behind him._

_~~~ END OF FLASHBACK ~~~_

* * *

"**Blaine? Are you sure you're okay? You got pretty quiet all of a sudden." Jake sounded worried.**

"**Huh? Sorry, I'm good. I was just thinking." Blaine sighed.**

"**You sure?" **

**Blaine was silent for a few minutes before he took a deep breath and looked up at the taller teen.**

"**How long have you been out?"**

**Jake looked slightly surprised at the boldness of Blaine's question. He'd only known Blaine for a couple of weeks. The curly haired boy was a year younger than him and one grade below him in school. He'd noticed that Blaine had been getting bullied a lot in the past few weeks; graffiti on his locker, shoves from upperclassmen between periods and name calling in the hallways. He'd even heard that Blaine had involuntarily ended up in the girl's locker room one afternoon so Jake had taken it upon himself to introduce himself to the kid. Not that he was a complete pro at 'all things gay', but at least he'd been around the block a time or two, maybe he could give Blaine some tips. **

**Plus – the kid was pretty cute.**

"**Well…" Jake reminisced. "I told my parents when I was eleven. But most people at school didn't really clue in until the next year."**

"**How did you tell them?" Blaine asked. "Your parents, I mean."**

**Jake released a deep laugh that made Blaine look up at him, surprised. **

"**We were sitting at the dinner table one night and my dad asked me to pass the peas." Jake said with a smile. "I did. Then I asked him if it was okay if I kissed a boy in my class."**

**Blaine's eyes widened. "What did he say?"**

"**Well. He dropped the peas." Jake said with another laugh. "At first I think he thought I was kidding. My mom was the one that clued in that I was being serious. I told them that there was a boy in my class that I wanted to be boyfriends with."**

**Blaine nodded, urging him to continue. **

"**It was weird. I think they assumed I'd grow out of it. But that was four years ago, and look at me now - taking a boy to a dance."**

**Blaine felt his cheeks flush again as he looked down to the ground. If he was telling the truth, he hadn't invited Jake to the dance as a 'date'. He was a nice enough guy, sure, but Blaine had ulterior motives. He just wanted someone to talk to. He knew that Jake was 'out and proud' and all that, but Blaine was more impressed by the fact that Jake had managed to get through high school without too much trouble so far. It could have something to do with the fact that Jake was the star center of the school's hockey team. He was a popular athlete. That was his 'in' factor. The fact that he was gay was apparently an afterthought to most of his classmates.**

**Blaine was the weird, quiet kid who read books all the time and kept mostly to himself. He was afraid that if he came out publically that his life would be a living hell. **

"**So your parents are…okay with it now?"**

**Jake laughed again. "My mom runs the Westerville chapter of 'PFLAG'."**

_**Wow, I wish.**_

"**You haven't told your parents yet, I'm assuming?" Jake asked, looking out across the football field to the North of the school. A number of fluffy snowflakes had begun to fall gracefully to the ground.**

**Blaine scoffed. "I don't think that will go well."**

**Jake raised an eyebrow, indicating that Blaine was free to continue if he wanted to, but not to feel pressured into talking about something that would make him uncomfortable.**

**Blaine acknowledged the look and appreciated the gesture. **

"**My dad is… pretty old school. My older brother told him that he wanted to be an actor instead of a lawyer like him and he flipped out. They fought, my brother took off, and they haven't spoken since."**

"**Ouch."**

"**That was six years ago." Blaine added with a shrug.**

"**Wow. Yeah… that's kinda crappy." Jake admitted. "But maybe he's changed. You're his son. How pissed could he possibly be?"**

**Blaine sighed. He knew his dad hadn't changed. They were watching TV just the other night and there was a gay couple on the program they'd been tuned into. Blaine's dad had grabbed the remote and changed the channel immediately, muttering something about the 'sanctity of marriage'.**

"**He hasn't changed."**

**Anxious to break the awkward silence, Jake stopped pacing in the parking lot and glanced at his watch as the two boys sat down on the snow-dusted curb. **

"**Speaking of my 'daddy dearest'…where the hell is he?"**

**Jake's dad had offered to pick up the two boys following the dance and drive Blaine home. It was twenty past eleven now and Blaine had an 11:30 curfew. **

**Jake pulled out his cell phone from the back pocket of his jeans. **

"**Oh shit! He called me a few minutes ago but my phone was on mute." He said, dialing his voicemail. He listened to a message for a few minutes before deleting the voicemail and looking back at Blaine. **

"**I guess he got a flat tire on the way here. He's going to be a bit yet." Jake informed, standing back up and dusting the snow off his rear end. "But he said he called your parents and they know you're going to be a little late."**

"**Oh, okay." Blaine shrugged nonchalantly.**

"**Wanna walk to the gas station and grab a coke or something? I have a few bucks in my pocket." Jake said. "It'll pass the time. His message said he'd be a little while. He's waiting on Triple A."**

"**Sure." Blaine said, standing and wiping the snow from the back of his jeans. **

**The two boys walked down the sidewalk towards the gas station. It was only about six blocks away and it was a relatively pleasant night – even if it was a little breezy. **

**They made small talk as they walked, mostly about how school was going for Blaine. They were both in the middle of cramming for final exams. The semester had finished on Thursday and exams were scheduled for the following week. Blaine would be entering tenth grade next year, so he knew he had to keep his marks up for the second semester of this school year. He was a good student. Not necessarily straight A's, but definitely an 'A' average in all of his classes combined. **

"**So…" Blaine started, looking for another topic of conversation. "How is hockey going this year?"**

"**Pretty good. We finish up the season in April. We did okay this year, but we probably won't make the playoffs. Maybe next year we can…" **

**Blaine looked up at his friend as he suddenly dropped his conversation mid-sentence. Jake's eyes were wide as he looked over Blaine's left shoulder.**

**He was about to turn and look at what had so obviously caught Jake's eye when the taller boy held and arm out to stop him. **

"**Don't turn around."**

**It was ominous. Blaine had never heard the boy's voice go as deep. He sounded… almost feral. **

**A shiver ran up Blaine's spine and it had nothing to do with the cool breeze that was drifting by. **

"**Jake?" He asked cautiously. "What is it?"  
**

**The other boy nudged Blaine in front of him and picked up the pace of his stride. "Nothing. Come on, let's get to the store."**

**Blaine shook his head, confused at his friend's sudden outburst but decided that it must be nothing. He continued walking in front of Jake until he could hear heavy footsteps rushing up behind them. **

"**Jake?" He said, turning to face the taller teen, only to once again be re-directed. This time Jake hustled him down an adjoining alley. It was darker here, having no streetlamps to provide a clear path for the two boys.**

"**Blaine. We might have a problem."**

**Blaine was about to stop and ask what the hell was going on but Jake kept pushing him forward down he dark and damp alley. There was a horrible smell emanating from one of the buildings to his left. It smelled like a combination of cleaning solvents and rotten Chinese food. The smell, blended with the present circumstances had Blaine's stomach tied up in knots. **

"**Don't stop walking." Jake instructed sternly. "We're being followed."**

_**What the fuck is this? A spy movie?**_

**Blaine followed the orders from the older boy and carried on down the alley. He hadn't heard the footsteps behind them since they'd turned off the main sidewalk.**

"**Jake? Who is it?"**

"**Some guys that don't like me very much."**

**That didn't appease the butterflies that were whizzing around in Blaine's stomach. **

**He didn't ask any more questions. Jake had taken him by the hand and was now leading him in a hurried pace towards the lightened street on the other end of the alley.**

**They were only twenty feet from the light when two figures approached from the adjacent street.**

_**Shit shit shit.**_

**Jake stopped abruptly, Blaine nearly running smack into his back on the unexpected halt.**

"**Jake. What's up dude?" A husky voice hollered from where the figures stood in front of the two boys.**

**Blaine looked up at Jake, anxiously wondering what their next move was going to be.**

"**Not much man. Just going for a coke. You?" Jake was nervous. Blaine could hear it in his voice.**

"**Who's your friend?" The voice asked, obviously ignoring Jake's inquiry. **

**Jake suddenly realized that he was still holding Blaine's hand and suddenly dropped it quickly, as though it was a hot iron.**

"**Is that your **_**boyfriend**_** Jake?" The second voice was higher pitched, and sounded irritated.**

**Another shiver crawled up Blaine's spine.**

"**Blaine. You should go back." Jake whispered.**

**The shorter boy looked up again at Jake, who even in the dim-light alley, looked incredibly pale. **

"**What? I'm not going to leave you here."**

**Jake shook his head. **

"**This might not be good. These guys are a couple grades ahead of me. They don't think much about my… or… **_**our**_**… 'lifestyle choices'." He indicated the last two words with air quotations. **

**Blaine was suddenly very aware that the two much older, taller and obviously stronger individuals had been creeping closer and he could now see their faces. **

**They didn't look impressed.**

"**I'm not going back without you, Jake." Blaine whispered, trying to maintain the strength in his voice, but he failed miserably. He was freaking out.**

"**Fuck Blaine, just go. Go back and get a teacher or something."**

_**Oh god. He was serious. This was going to get ugly.**_

**Blaine looked into Jake's eyes and saw nothing staring back at him except fear - pure unadulterated fear. This time Blaine couldn't contain the shudder that racked his body and made his muscles twitch. **

**He nodded his head silently and began to back away from Jake slowly, towards the direction they'd just come from.**

"**Hey! Where you goin' fancy pants?"**

**Blaine's stomach dropped and he turned around to start running back to the school when he smacked directly into a third and apparently very sneaky individual. **

**He bounced off the large teen with a surprised "oomph" and nearly fell to the ground; except he was hauled up to his feet and his arms were pinned behind his back. A sudden ache surged up both of his shoulders and into his back and neck and he released a pained whimper.**

"**Leave him alone!" Jake turned towards Blaine, but was jumped from behind by the original two delinquents. The larger of the two grabbed him in a manner identical to how Blaine was being restrained. **

**Both Blaine and Jake struggled against their captors, but the teens were strong, incredibly strong, and even Jake, a year older than Blaine and easily forty pounds heavier, could not gain the upper hand.**

**The third teen, a gangly, mousey looking boy with his greasy black hair only slightly hidden under a black wool hat walked up to Jake and without so much of a warning punched him directly in the stomach.**

**Jake released a loud gasp and doubled over, only being held up by the boy standing behind him.**

**Blaine was beginning to panic. Three against two. Their odds weren't looking so good.**

"**I thought I told you I didn't want to see your ugly **_**faggy**_** face around here Walker." The Black-haired boy spat.**

**Jake was still trying to collect himself after the punch and didn't get an opportunity to speak up before a second blow landed in his face. Blood from his ripped lower lip spilled down the front of his suit jacket and dripped slowly onto the snow-dusted pavement below him. **

**Blaine struggled against the strong arms of his captor, kicking with his feet and jerking his arms in attempt to get free. The boy simply tightened his grip and pulled Blaine's shoulders further behind him until it felt like they were going to be pulled out of their sockets. **

"**Arrrgghh!" He howled. "Let. Me. Go!" He struggled harder with each word he grunted through gritted teeth.**

"**Hmmm… it seems you've chosen yourself a feisty one, Jake." The boy sneered, now turning to face Blaine.**

"**Steve, please just leave him alone. This is between you and me." Jake's voice sounded pained and he now had a lisp since his lip was deeply cut, blood still seeped down his front.**

"**What's your name faggot?" Steve asked Blaine as he approached him, prowling around him much like a lion circling its prey.**

**Blaine couldn't speak. His breaths were coming rapidly and his head was spinning. He looked back to Jake, who was still actively bleeding and the older boy gave him a look with his eyes that spoke only two words, 'I'm sorry'.**

**A calloused hand grabbed Blaine's chin and forced his head around to look at the greasy-haired Steve. **

"**I'm talking to you, homo. What's your name?"**

**Blaine shook his head fiercely, trying to knock the boy's filthy hand from his chin, but to no avail.**

**His efforts earned Blaine a solid backhand across his right cheek, splitting his own lip in the process.**

**Tears welled in his eyes and his face stung from the sudden, harsh contact. **

_**Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.**_

"**Awwww… faggy boy is gonna start crying boys! Look at this little loser!"**

**A second blow landed against his left eye. **

"**I said… What is your name?" The boy asked leaning into Blaine close enough so that he could smell his acrid breath, which was laced with cigarette smoke and alcohol.**

**Blaine struggled to maintain what little composure remained. His face burned like hell and he was growing increasingly sick to his stomach. **

"**B-Blaine." He squeaked. **

"**Well B-Blaine," the older boy mimicked with an evil sneer, "I have another question for you… and you better answer this one right away or you and I are gonna have problems, okay?"**

**Blaine could only nod, several tears sluggishly finding their way down his bruised cheek.**

"**Are you a fag?"**

**Blaine's blood ran cold. His dampened eyes darted to his sides, trying to find an escape route, but there was none. **

**A punch to his stomach brought the nausea to a maximum and he had to focus his breathing to force himself not to get physically sick.**

"**I. Asked. You. A. Question!" Each word was accentuated with another ruthless punch to Blaine's gut.**

**By the fourth blow, Blaine was seeing black spots in his vision and was so unsteady on his feet that the boy standing behind him had taken on his full weight. His head was so foggy that he hardly heard the screams coming from Jake only several feet to his left.**

"**Please! Steve, stop this! You're going to kill him!"**

**Steve reached up and once again, place his rough fingers under Blaine's chin, bringing his face back up to meet his own. **

"**Are you gonna answer?"**

**Blaine blinked hazily. **_**What was the question again?**_

"**Are you a faggot?" **

**Another punch.**

"**Do you like taking it up the ass?"**

**Another punch.**

**Blaine's chest and abdomen were on fire. **

"**Answer me!" The boy shouted, saliva flying from his filthy mouth and landing on Blaine's face. "Answer me and I will stop hitting you!"**

**Blaine was crying. He wasn't sure when the tears had started freely flowing, but he realized that he'd completely lost control of himself. He was blubbering incoherently, drool and blood dripping down from the gash in his upper lip.**

**Jake was screaming at Steve to stop the beating, but his howls fell on deaf ears. The boy behind Jake tightened his grip on him and whispered into his ear, "Shut the fuck up or we're going to kill your little bitch!"**

**Jake fell silent instantly.**

**Steve however, was still standing in front of Blaine and was growing increasingly angry that the small boy still refused to answer his question. He moved in close and reached up and placed his arms around Blaine's shoulders as though he was giving the boy a hug. **

**He leaned his head up into Blaine's neck turned his mouth next to his ear and whispered harshly, **

"**Tell me you like it up the ass and I will leave you alone." **

**He then brought his knee up and swiftly connected with Blaine's abdomen once again, causing the boy to scream out in agony.**

**The teen behind him let Blaine slip to the ground, where he landed with a dull thud. He lay in the filth of the alley writhing in pain and gasping to keep his breath. His respirations were labored and harsh sounding. Steve leaned down next to him and lifted up his head by cruelly grabbing a handful of soggy curls. **

"**Say it."**

**Blaine continued to struggle to breathe.**

"**Say it."**

**The nausea finally hit its breaking point and Blaine threw up, retching the contents of his stomach onto the snow covered ground beneath him, and all over Steve's shoes. **

"**You little fucker!" He screamed. "Look what you fucking did!" He slammed Blaine's head downwards, where it connected with the frozen ground, bringing stars dancing into his vision. **

**Steve stood up and delivered a hard kick to Blaine's middle, the force of which was so strong, that it knocked the boy sprawling onto his back.**

**Blaine laid on the cold, damp ground, coughing and choking on the blood and saliva that filled his airway. He was gasping to get enough air into his lungs, which were burning like wildfire with every ounce of effort.**

**Steve knelt down besides Blaine and pulled a black knife out of his coat pocket. He slowly opened the blade and flashed it in front of Blaine's vision and with the blackest eyes Blaine had ever seen, lowered the blade to rest on Blaine's throat, directly below his Adam's apple.**

"**Say it or I'm going to cut your throat."**

**Blaine sputtered, causing more blood to come spraying from his mouth. He could feel the droplets of blood landing back on his own face and begin dripping down his chin and bruised cheeks. He suddenly felt his lower body grow very warm, but was too dazed to understand what had happened to him. **

"**Tell me you like it up the ass."**

**Tears flowed freely down his face, mixing with the blood and saliva as he struggled to find his voice.**

"**I-I like it…" He cried, feeling the blade press deeper into his skin with every syllable causing his Adam's apple to bob up and down. **

"**Go on…" Steve encouraged. "Say it."**

"**U-up the… t-the ass…" Blaine sobbed, clenching his eyes closed and waiting for the blade to slice through his delicate skin at any moment.**

**To his surprise, Steve stood then and walked several steps away from where Blaine lay, still sputtering and sobbing uncontrollably. **

"**There! See! That wasn't so hard, was it?"**

**By this point, Jake had tear-stained cheeks and was physically exhausted from trying to fight his way out of his attacker's embrace. He had desperately wanted to get to Blaine and tell him that everything was going to be okay. **

**But deep down, Jake knew that everything was going to be far from okay.**

"**You see Jake? That's all it takes? You just gotta be honest. If you had been honest with me from the start we wouldn't be here right now. If you had told me you were a **_**fucking faggot, **_**your boyfriend over here wouldn't have just pissed his pants."**

**Blaine suddenly realized where the warmth had come from and his stomach plummeted in shame. The nausea had returned and he was deathly afraid that he might be sick once again.**

"**Steve, I'm sorry okay! Please just leave him alone!" Jake begged. "It's not his fault. Please, just stop hurting him."**

"**No." Steve sneered. "You know what Jake? I'm going to fuck him up and you get to watch. This is your fault, and I want you to think about that when you hear him screaming for help."**

**Steve walked over to a green dumpster several feet away and grabbed a broken beer bottle that was lying next to a pile of filthy trash. He dumped the remaining liquid from the bottle and walked back over to where Blaine lay on the ground.**

"**You like it up the ass Blaine? Let's see how much you take up the ass."**

**Blaine ignored the screaming hot pains that were piercing his abdomen and sides with every inch he moved and began to flail around on the ground, screaming uncontrollably as he realized what was about to happen. **

"**Noooo, please… Jake! Please help me!"**

"**Kent, fucking hold him down!" Steve ordered, pointing to the teen that had previously been holding Blaine's arms.**

**Blaine was blubbering and screaming and sobbing as the older boy rolled him onto his stomach and pinned his arms down to his sides, effectively immobilizing him. **

**His screams became more desperate when he felt Steve kneel between his legs and slip and hand under his crotch, fumbling with the zipper on his jeans. It took him only a minute to unbutton them and lower the zipper before he was able to pull the dampened denim down below Blaine's ass. The chill of the evening air was shocking as it hit the exposed skin of the boy's backside.**

**Blaine screamed louder and tried to kick out his legs, in attempt to get the older boy out from between them. **

"**P-please don't do this…" He cried. "Please, I'm b-begging you…"**

**Steve grinned an evil grin and re-adjusted his position, now straddling the boy, effectively restraining him on the cold, unforgiving ground. **

"**But Blaine, I thought you liked it up the ass. I'm only trying to get you off!" The teen mocked.**

**Blaine blubbered incoherently again as he felt the boy slide a hand down his exposed ass crack. The hand moved farther down and separated his cheeks, filling Blaine with even more of the cool evening air. **

**By this point Blaine was hyperventilating and with each pained and labored breath, additional black spots found their way into his vision.**

_**Please let me pass out. Please let me pass out.**_

**Everything was suddenly stilled. It was as though someone had pressed a mute button and all was silent. Blaine picked up his head, and through the fog he could see Jake still struggling against his captor, his mouth open screaming silent profanities, while tears streamed down his face and mixed with the blood around his mouth and nose.**

**Blaine unexpectedly felt the frigid, inflexible neck of the broken beer bottle press up against his flesh and everything came crashing back down to him. He stopped struggling. It was of no use. His body was so beaten and battered that it was a hopeless cause. **

**This was it; he was going to be de-flowered right here in this filthy alley, by a group of homophobic teenagers with a broken beer bottle. **

**He laid his face down on the cool pavement and let his mind wander, trying to send his mind somewhere else. Somewhere safe.**

**He thought about the summers his family had spent out at the lake when he was younger. They hadn't done it as much now that he was older and his father was so busy with work, but back in the day, it was what Blaine looked forward to the most. The old tire swing that hung from a tree branch over the water. The late night campfires and roasting marshmallows. His grandfather strumming his guitar as they sat around the campfire and sang songs together. Those moments were undoubtedly the happiest of Blaine's existence.**

**A burning pain brought him back to reality as the threaded lip of the bottle was forced through the tight ring of muscles in his ass. The friction made it burn even more as Steve struggled to force the bottle past Blaine's dry, tight, muscular entrance.**

**Blaine clenched his muscles as hard as he could, trying in vain to prevent the bottle from entering his tense asshole, but Steve brought his second hand up and parted Blaine's cheeks, allowing for an easier entry. Blaine suddenly felt the frozen glass leave his flesh and thought for a moment that he was going to be spared. His stomach vaulted and he visibly cringed when he both heard and felt Steve expel a large gob of mucus from his mouth into Blaine's ass before re-attempting to force his way in with the long neck of the beer bottle.**

**The pain-induced black spots returned to Blaine's vision and he let them come, silently praying for the blackness to consume him.**

**Jake was desperate. He had to do something. The screams coming from Blaine were piercing his soul. **

**He'd never forget those screams for the rest of his life.**

"**Steve!" He screamed. This was his last resort. "Why can't you just admit that **_**you're**_** the gay one?"**

**Steve tensed up and released his hold on the bottle, letting it fall out of his hand and roll away from Blaine. He looked up at Jake, shooting him daggers from his eyes. **

"**What the FUCK did you just say?"**

"**You heard me." Jake gulped. His plan had worked. But perhaps – a little too well?**

**Steve stood up and grabbed the broken bottle from the ground on his way over to where Jake was being held up by the third attacker. He raised the bottle up and without warning, brought it down hard against the side of Jake's skull.**

**A sickening crack was heard as the near-frozen bottle exploded, bits of amber colored glass flying in every direction.**

**Jake slumped forward, but was hoisted back up to his feet by the two assistants. **

"**Kent, Ben, hold him up. He's fucking dead." **

**Steve reached down and grabbed a piece of pipe that had been lying next to the dumpster. He brought it down over the back of Jake's head several times, gritting his teeth and muttering a single word with each blow, "Accuse. Me. Of. Being. A. Faggot!"**

**With the last blow, the two boys holding Jake up released his arms and allowed the teen to slump to the ground. He hit the cement face first and his body immediately began convulsing when it connected with the unforgiving ground. His body seized, all muscles contracting and then relaxing simultaneously as he flailed around on the ground almost bonelessly. **

**The two teens that had dropped him looked at each other in horror. **

"**Dude, what the fuck?"**

'**That shit is fucked up. Let's get the hell outta here."**

**They didn't even bother asking their apparent ringleader for permission before they turned and hightailed it out of the alley. **

**Steve stood up and watched almost neurotically as the boy continued to convulse on the ground next to his feet.**

**He delivered one last solid kick to the face of the thrashing boy on the ground before he too, turned around and promptly ran away. **

**Jake's body stopped convulsing and once again, all was silent.**

* * *

**Blaine struggled to open his eyes. It had been such a deep and enjoyable sleep that he didn't want to wake up. A putrid smell wafted in front of his nose and a shiver streaked up his spine as he realized that he was laying face down on something hard. And he was cold. Freezing fucking cold.**

**Had he fallen out of bed? **

**As he picked up his head, he was quickly reminded that his body had been severely abused. Even the slightest movement caused him an excruciating amount of pain. **

**What the fuck happened?**

**His body screamed with every breath he tried to take. His head was foggy and he could hardly find the strength to keep his eyes open.**

**He moved his head to his left and the scene before him sent waves of panic thorough his veins.**

**Jake was laying a mere five feet from him, battered and beaten. Blood was oozing from several wounds on his face and skull, and Blaine was certain he could see some dripping out of his right ear. A bright red stain had eerily melted through the white snow around the boy's skull, as he lay there utterly motionless.**

**Blaine's breath caught as he tried to maneuver himself into a crawling position, and he settled instead on merely trying to pull himself forward using only his arms. His lower half shrieked in agony as his exposed hips rotated slightly with each pull of his arms.**

**The frozen asphalt burned the skin on his abdomen and chest as he inched his way towards his friend's brutalized frame. Every inch caused Blaine to feel an unbearable amount of pain surge throughout his entire body, and several times, he had to pause and close his eyes, afraid that he might pass out once again.**

**Blaine had edged to within a foot from Jake's head now, and he could see that he had been unfortunately correct; there was blood oozing from both of his ears. He swallowed a lump of fear and continued on, his hands and elbows now raw from the friction burns of the ice-covered pavement. **

"**J-jake…" The weakness of own voice startled him. **

**Still sprawled on his stomach, Blaine reached his hand out and felt his friend's face, it was cool and felt very sweaty. Blaine lowered his hand to Jake's mouth and was relieved when he felt the slightest flow of air connect with the back of his fingers. **

**He was still breathing.**

**Blaine moved several more inches and reached into Jake's back pocket, praying to anyone who would listen that his phone would still be there, undamaged.**

**His heart soared for the first time as his swollen fingers discovered the cold plastic device and he slowly pulled it out of the pocket. Just as he had cleared it from underneath the fabric, the muscles in his fingers twitched and he dropped the phone. The sound of plastic connecting with frozen pavement was harsh and seemed so incredibly loud in the silence of the alleyway that it caused Blaine to flinch. He picked it back up with a trembling hand, afraid that it would be damaged and was relieved to see that when he pressed the small button on the bottom of the device, the screen lit up. **

**Blaine sent a silent thank you to deities unknown, and brought the phone back to where his own head was now resting in the snow. His strength was diminished, but he knew if there was any chance in getting himself and Jake out of here, he had to make himself alert enough to call for help.**

**A shiver slithered up his spine as he slid his trembling finger across the locking feature on the home screen, silently planning what he would say to the emergency dispatcher when the call was connected. **

**His vision was blurred, but his heart sank and he angrily threw the phone back down to the pavement in frustrated defeat when the phone changed screens, asking for a passcode.**

* * *

Blaine woke up in a panicked cold sweat. He sat up in his bed suddenly, earning himself a painful groan as his shoulder and ribs ached. It was a frequent occurrence for him to wake up several times in the middle of the night screaming after suffering a similar nightmare, but this one had been particularly vivid.

He reached down subconsciously and ran a finger across the wide scar that stretched from the side of his torso to his umbilicus.

These nightmares had been plaguing him for months since the attack. Sometimes he was blessed and would only have to re-live the painful memories once or twice a week, but lately, he'd been waking up several times each night, gasping for breath and holding his arms tight around himself.

It took him several minutes to re-acclimatize himself before he was able to slow his breathing and lay back down for a few more hours of restless slumber.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Oh Blaine… I'm sorry that I keep doing this to you. **

**Forgive me, my beloved readers, I'm afraid the worst is yet to come… :(**

**-RH**


	16. Of Screams

Chapter 16

Kurt was worried. Incredibly worried.

He'd spent the entire weekend thinking about the bruised and battered frame of a boy he'd dropped off at his home Friday evening.

Blaine had been in rough shape, as much as he'd tried to deny it. Kurt had never seen anyone so bruised, swollen and scarred. Several times over the course of the weekend Kurt found himself pacing his bedroom, trying to convince himself that Blaine was fine. If he had been really badly injured, he would have consented to a trip to the hospital… right?

At one point on Sunday afternoon Kurt found himself sitting in his car parked in his own driveway debating on whether or not to make a quick trip over to the grey house on the north end of the city to check up on Blaine.

He shook his head, once again ignoring the nagging voice in the back of his mind, and trudged back into the house. He'd spent the remainder of the day baking cookies and cakes in attempt to keep his mind off the hazel eyes which kept looking pleadingly into his soul.

It was a failed attempt, but Burt was more than impressed with the array of baked goods waiting for him on the table when he arrived home Sunday evening.

"Is that Glee club of yours having another bake sale or something?" Burt asked, picking up a chocolate chip cookie and taking an enormous bite, sending crumbs tumbling down his grease-covered front.

Kurt sighed. "No, I was just… bored."

Burt shoved the remainder of the cookie into his mouth and grabbed a piece of lemon loaf.

"Oh, well in that case, you should be bored more often, 'cuz this is awesome!"

Kurt half-smiled as he watched his dad shovel nearly the entire piece of cake into his mouth before walking to the fridge and taking a swig of milk right from the jug.

Burt wiped a grimy sleeve across his mouth as he finished putting the milk back in the fridge.

"Okay Kurt, now I _know_ something's up. There is no way you let me eat all those sweets and then drink from the jug like that without severe consequences." Burt pulled a chair out from the table next to Kurt and sat down.

"What's going on, buddy?"

Kurt looked into his dad's eyes for the first time that afternoon and sighed again. He knew that he should really tell his father what had happened, but he could still hear the panic in Blaine's voice, _'Promise me you won't tell anyone'._

Plus, Burt had made it very clear at the football game that Blaine was off limits and that the two boys were not to have contact with each other. But that was before all of this had happened. No one knew that Blaine was gay back then.

Kurt then thought about how hard it was when he was outted before he was ready to face the consequences. Telling his dad about Blaine would open up a whole new can of worms. Kurt had seemingly made a new friend over the past few days and he didn't want to chance ruining that.

He concluded that he would wait until the next day at school to speak with Blaine and make sure he was alright.

"It's nothing dad. I'm just tired." Kurt lied.

"Are those pricks still giving you a hard time at school?" Burt suddenly sat up straighter and looked at Kurt with a menacing glare. "It's not that Blaine kid again, is it? I'll kill him."

"No!" Kurt answered quickly, his head shooting up from where he had been staring at the floor.

"Blaine didn't do anything to me. He…" Kurt paused, closing his eyes briefly.

_He needs help._

"I'm fine dad." Kurt insisted. "I'm going to go down to my room now. I'll come back up and put this stuff away after it cools."

"Okay kiddo." Burt replied, grabbing one more cookie from the pile. "But I have one more question before you go – how are things with you and Finn?"

Kurt gulped. Truthfully, he hadn't spoken a word to the other boy since Thursday in the choir room. Finn had tried to apologize several times since then but Kurt had simply walked away.

"We're good now, dad. It was all a misunderstanding and he apologized."

It wasn't a total lie.

Burt smiled, leaned in and gave Kurt a tight hug. He stood back up and placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder.

"Good. You know I don't stand for any of that homophobia garbage. I think Finn means well, he just got caught up in the moment the other day."

Kurt nodded.

Burt took his greasy ball cap off his bald head and set it on the table next to the cookies.

"Are you okay if I invite them over for dinner tomorrow night? Carole said she'd like to see you."

"Of course dad, I miss Carole too." Kurt smiled.

Burt grinned and slapped Kurt on the back of his shoulder, took another large bite of cookie, walked into the living room and sat on the couch, reaching for the remote.

"No more treats for you tonight, dad. You know they're not good for you." Kurt's voice echoed from the kitchen.

_That's my boy, _Burt thought with a grin as he turned the TV on and began watching the sports highlights.

* * *

When Kurt arrived at school Monday morning, he was beyond distraught when he discovered that Blaine was nowhere to be found. He spent his entire lunch break and free period scouring the school grounds, hoping to find the curly-haired boy holed up somewhere, but came up empty.

He considered asking Finn for Blaine's phone number but quickly dismissed the thought after taking into account the number of new rumors that simple action might initiate. The last thing he needed was the entire school thinking that he and Blaine were an item.

Kurt was on his way home from school when his curiosity got the better of him and he detoured to Blaine's end of town. He vaguely remembered the route he and Blaine had taken the other night and he only made a few wrong turns before he found himself parked out front of the house.

He was standing on the porch and had already pressed on the doorbell button when a panicked thought invaded his mind. What the fuck was he going to say?

_Hi, I'm the gay kid that left your son on his own after he was nearly gay-bashed to death last week. He wouldn't happen to still be alive would he?_

Kurt glanced back at his car and momentarily considered making a run for it, but decided to man up and face the music.

He'd simply ask if Blaine was home and if his parents questioned his presence, he'd tell them that he was a friend from school with his homework from that day.

That always worked in the movies… right?

Kurt released a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding when no one came to the door after several tense moments. He rang the doorbell a second time and waited.

_Huh… Either he's fine and gone out with friends, he's in the hospital with life-threatening injuries, or he's lying on the floor dead and his cat is chewing on his eyeball._

Kurt shuddered.

_Yes. Let's go with door number one._

He rang the doorbell a third time before retreating to his car.

Kurt considered leaving a note under the door, but decided that was too 'horror movie stalkerish'.

Plus, he didn't have a pen.

He decided to wait in his car until someone came home and he could talk to them to make sure Blaine was alright.

He spent 45 minutes manicuring his fingernails until he remembered the dinner plans with Finn and Carole. He quickly buckled up and drove away from the grey house, with many scenarios playing in his head.

Some with cats, some without.

* * *

Kurt was busying himself by setting the table and washing up a few dishes left over from breakfast that morning when he heard the doorbell. There were still a couple of hours until Finn and Carole were due to arrive so he figured it must have been his father at the door.

_Dad, did you seriously forget your keys again?_

He picked up a tea towel from the front of the stove and dried his hands as he walked over to the front door.

Kurt unlocked the door and swung it open, "How many times must you…"

He stopped dead and dropped the towel on the floor as a short, curly-haired boy stood on his front porch looking up at him through near-swollen shut hazel eyes.

"Blaine?"

The shorter boy stumbled slightly and his eyes momentarily drifted closed as he regained his balance. Kurt now noticed that the boy was clutching onto the doorframe with his right hand to maintain his balance.

"K-kurt...I…need…"

Blaine was unable to finish the mumbled and obviously pain-filled sentence as his legs gave out from underneath him and he fell forward, narrowly missing the floor before Kurt grabbed him and held him in his arms, lowering him the remainder of the way to the ground.

"Blaine? Oh my god!"

The boy slumped into Kurt's arms and was unresponsive.

"Blaine? Can you hear me?" Kurt gently tapped on the boy's bruised cheek.

No response.

"Oh god Blaine, please wake up!"

Nothing.

Kurt felt the boy's neck and was truly relieved when he felt a pulse.

"Blaine?" Tears were streaming down Kurt's cheeks as he feared the worse.

He scooped up the boy in his arms and pulled him into the house and closed the door with his foot. Kurt was momentarily amazed by how little the boy weighed. He'd realized that he was short in stature, but he had significant musculature and should easily weigh more than what he did. The frail looking boy seemed to weigh next to nothing as Kurt easily carried him into the living room.

The bitter cold air immediately dissipated and the new warmth of the house sent additional shivers up Kurt's spine.

"Blaine, how did you get here? You're freezing cold!"

There was a bluish tinge to Blaine's lips and his skin was very cool to the touch. Kurt picked up one of Blaine's hands and winced when he felt how cold it was.

Blaine was not wearing a jacket, only a pair of grey sweatpants and his McKinley Titans practice jersey over a t-shirt. Kurt was comforted slightly when he looked down to see that at the very least, the boy was wearing socks and shoes.

A small whimper snapped Kurt from his trance and he breathed a sigh of relief as Blaine's blackened eyes rolled open slightly.

"Blaine, I have to take you to the hospital."

"No hospt'l" The boy slurred.

"Blaine. You're hurt really bad. We need to go _now_."

Kurt was about to set him down on the couch and wrap him in a blanket when the boy began to sob quietly.

"Kuuurt… promis'd…" Blaine's whimpers sent a wave of nausea though Kurt's stomach.

"You need help."

The tears were freely flowing down Kurt's cheeks by this point and he looked at Blaine's beaten body with a grimace. The bones in his left shoulder were still deformed and his arm was cradled over his chest as it had been on Friday evening and there were new bruises on his swollen face.

Blaine had never gone to the hospital.

"You need a doctor."

"Jus wan' sleeeeep…"

Kurt wrapped the blanket around Blaine's body and scooped him up once again.

"Pleeease… I'm jus' tired…"

Kurt's heart was breaking. He knew Blaine needed medical help; that much was apparent. But he was still so cold.

"Blaine. I'm going to bring you downstairs and help warm you up, okay? Then we'll talk about seeing a doctor."

Blaine nodded and closed his eyes once again, leaning heavily into Kurt's chest.

Kurt managed to carry Blaine down the stairs to his bedroom without dropping him or banging his head against the doorframe. He was out of breath by the time they reached the bedroom and he stood Blaine up in front of him.

"Can you stand?"

Blaine nodded slowly, his eyes still closed and his bushy eyebrows knit in obvious discomfort.

Kurt carefully pulled the loose-fitting white jersey over Blaine's head, which elicited a pained groan from the boy as his shoulder was moved ever-so-slightly. Kurt winced, wondering how he was going to pull the tight fitting T-shirt off the shivering boy without causing him further pain.

"Blaine, I need you to pull your good arm out of this sleeve."

After several minutes of struggles and whimpers, Kurt had successfully managed to remove the T-shirt. He dropped the shirt to the floor next to the football jersey and looked at Blaine, who was still standing, but wavering and shivering visibly.

"We have to take your sweatpants off now Blaine." Kurt informed, with a slight blush warming his cheeks.

He looked down to see that Blaine had his eyes open slightly, but was staring off to the left of Kurt, not acknowledging his presence or his request.

Kurt reached down and gently pulled on the white cord that held the pants in place over his thin, bony hips.

Blaine's eyes shot open at the sudden contact and he weakly pushed back on Kurt's hand.

"No, please don't…"

Kurt jumped back slightly and looked at Blaine, who had terror etched into his eyes. But what he found more distressing was the look of hollow unfamiliarity written into Blaine's darkened features.

"Blaine? It's me, Kurt. I'm only going to help you okay?"

As suspected, Blaine nodded, appeared almost immediately more relaxed and his eyes drifted closed once again.

Kurt directed Blaine a few steps towards the bathroom before he reached down slowly and pulled on the white cord of the sweat pants once again.

"It's okay Blaine; I'm going to help you into the shower so you warm up, okay?"

Blaine mumbled something incoherent but seemed to be more relaxed, although the shivering had increased since Kurt had pulled off the boy's shirt. Kurt gently tugged at the cord until he could feel it loosen off and the pants began to slide down Blaine's hips. Kurt stood behind Blaine, with one hand helping the pants down and his second arm holding the other boy firmly around his chest. His skin was still cold and he was trembling as he wavered slightly on his unsteady legs.

The sweatpants hit the floor around Blaine's ankles and Kurt moved his hand back up to pull down the pair of navy blue boxers Blaine was wearing. Needing both hands to pull them down, Kurt leaned Blaine back onto his own chest and supported his weight with his body as he slipped the boxer shorts down to the floor.

There was not an ounce of sexual tension in the room as Kurt assisted Blaine in stepping out of the shorts and sweatpants that lay bundled on his bedroom floor.

Now naked, it was evident that Blaine had obtained several new bruises and markings on his bare skin. A distinct boot print was visible on his right side, along with multiple lacerations that criss-crossed over his back; new wounds overlapping eerily similar, faded scars, which to Kurt, looked like the beginnings of a sadistic game of X's and O's.

Kurt couldn't contain the whimper he released when he lowered his eyes and noticed bruising and dried blood surrounding the boy's backside. There were bruises left by what Kurt assumed were large fingers on his ass cheeks and the thought of what the boy had endured forced him to close his eyes to contain the nausea. The acidic taste of bile entered his throat and he clenched his fists in anger.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Kurt placed a hand on Blaine's back and guided him the remaining steps into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The heat from the steam instantly warmed up the room and left a layer of fog on the mirror.

"Blaine, I'm going to help you into the shower now, okay?"

After receiving no reply, Kurt pulled back the shower curtain and looked back at Blaine, who stood naked and shivering next to him.

There was no way that he was going to be able to stand on his own in the shower, so Kurt swallowed his nervousness and took a deep breath before removing his own clothes and standing next to the quivering boy wearing only his black boxer briefs.

The heat from Kurt's body was met by the chilling embrace of Blaine as he held him momentarily in his arms before lifting him up off his feet and stepping into the shower. Once inside, Kurt positioned Blaine in front of him so the warm water was cascading over his head and down his discolored torso.

A lone tear pooled down Kurt's cheek as Blaine hissed when the water made contact with his open wounds. Kurt then realized that the water flowing down Blaine's back was burning him as it filtered down and into his raw backside. He turned the boy around robotically so he was facing the wall of the shower and Kurt allowed him to lean back into his now naked chest while he took a cloth and gently dabbed at the wounds on his tanned skin.

Kurt noticed for the first time a pale scar that stretched from Blaine's left side to just above his bellybutton. He gently slid the warm cloth over the scar curiously, and couldn't help but wonder what else this poor boy could possibly have endured in his lifetime. The bruising on Blaine's ribs appeared worse than it had on Friday, and was now speckled with different shades of red, purple and blue.

Kurt noticed that Blaine had stopped trembling and was relaxed against his chest, breathing shallow but still labored breaths.

He gently turned the boy back around to face him and carefully held Blaine's chin in his hand, dabbing the cloth against the gash above his closed eyes. Kurt gasped when Blaine flinched away from his touch and whimpered at the gentle contact. It was only then that Kurt noticed that his hand was lying directly over distinct hand-shaped bruising along Blaine's neck and throat. Initially Kurt was sickened by the thought that he himself had caused the markings but was saddened to confirm that the marks were far bigger than his own delicate hands could produce.

He gently turned the boy to his side so he could carefully slide the warm cloth over his chest and abdomen, trying his hardest not to look at anything below the boy's waist as he moved slowly and cautiously.

He'd never seen another boy completely naked before.

But at this moment, Kurt wasn't thinking about the fact that this was the first time he'd ever touched another boy's soft skin.

He wasn't thinking about the seeing the parts of another boy's anatomy he'd never seen before.

He wasn't thinking about the blood infused trails of water that dripped down the boy's battered skin and circled peacefully down the drain.

As tears freely flowed down his cheeks, all Kurt Hummel could think about was how he'd never again take for granted how lucky he was to have such a loving and caring father who would never let anything bad happen to him if it was within his power.

* * *

Kurt remained in the shower with Blaine, gently rubbing the cloth over his back and neck until the water began to lose its warmth. He carefully helped Blaine step out of the shower, noting how gingerly he moved when he lifted his legs over the edge of the tub.

Blaine's color had drastically improved; he had returned to his normal bronze skin tone, and the shivering had ceased completely, but Kurt was still worried that the boy seemed to be in an infinite amount of pain and was still incredibly weak.

He wrapped Blaine with a large red towel and slipped into his own bathrobe before leading the boy slowly into the bedroom. He helped Blaine into a pair of his own boxer shorts and led him towards his bed. Blaine winced when Kurt sat him on the edge of the bed until he was able to lie on his back with his left arm still slung across his middle.

Kurt pulled the blankets up around Blaine's chest and tucked him neatly into the bed. His eyes were closed and Kurt was certain that he had fallen asleep until he went to step away from the bed and Blaine's right hand reached out to stop him.

"Please stay."

The words were whispered quietly enough that Kurt may have missed them had he not been looking at Blaine as he spoke. The boy remained motionless with his eyes closed as Kurt hesitantly slipped under the covers with him, allowing Blaine's head to rest gently on his chest.

As Blaine slipped into unconsciousness, Kurt brought his hand up and gently caressed his thumb over the boy's prominent cheekbones. Comforted slightly by the steady rise and fall of Blaine's chest, he silently wished he could make all of the pain go away as hot salty tears streamed down his porcelain cheeks.

* * *

An hour later, Burt was greeted by Finn and Carole as he stepped out of his truck carrying several paper bags containing Chinese takeaway. Both vehicles had pulled into the driveway minutes apart.

"Here, let me get the door for you!" Carole said, stepping around Burt and closing the truck door.

"Thanks sweetie." Burt smiled, leaning over the bags and placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Finn, who was standing only a few feet away, grimaced awkwardly at the exchange. He was about to turn and walk up to the house when Burt jingled his set of keys that were dangling on his ring finger.

"Finn, do you mind grabbing the door for us? It's the silver key."

Finn nodded and took the keys from Burt's hand and walked up the sidewalk and put the silver key into the door.

"It's already unlocked." He said, pulling the key back out and sliding the door open.

"Kurt must have left it unlocked." Burt replied, and then he added with a chuckle, "Most days I forget my keys and lock myself out."

The three entered the home and Burt set the bags of food on the kitchen table, noting that the kitchen had been tidied and the table was set but the house was eerily quiet.

"Kurt must be down in his room doing homework." Burt said, pulling the Styrofoam containers out of the bags and setting them out on the table. "Do you wanna run down and grab him Finn?"

Finn grabbed a chicken ball out of the container on the table and nodded. "Sure."

He sauntered down the basement stairs and past the room partition to Kurt's side of the duel bedroom.

"Kurt… your dad sent me to come get you for…"

His eyes grew wide and he stopped dead in his tracks.

Kurt was not sitting at his desk chair working on his homework.

He was lying on his back, asleep in his bed, wearing nothing but a white bathrobe. But the thing that caught Finn's utmost attention was the nearly naked boy who was curled up at his side with his head lying on Kurt's chest, sleeping peacefully.

Finn's jaw dropped as he noticed the trail of clothes leading to the bathroom, including a white football jersey.

He stared dumbfounded for a moment, unable to speak before stepping cautiously backwards out of the room. He turned quickly and ran back up the stairs, still not entirely sure what it was that he had just walked in on.

When he reached the kitchen, he must have still had a confused look on his face because Burt looked at him questioningly.

"Well? Is he coming or…?"

Finn stared dumbly at the older man for a full minute before his brain finally managed to convert his thoughts into intelligible words.

"He's in bed."

Burt's eyebrows furrowed.

'That's odd. I wonder if he's not feeling…"

He was interrupted by Finn.

"…with a dude."

Burt blinked. "I-I'm sorry… what?"

"There's a naked guy in his bed."

Burt was speechless.

"It's a football player. I saw his jersey on the floor by the bathroom."

Burt's features turned dark immediately and his voice was deep and frightening as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'll kill him."

Before Finn could say anything further, Burt took off down the steps and stormed into Kurt's bedroom.

As he took in the two scantily clad figures nestled in Kurt's bed and the trail of clothes leading to the bathroom he could feel the heat rise in his face. The rage boiled inside of him to beyond the breaking point and he reached down angrily and ripped the unidentified boy out of the bed and threw him onto the floor in a heap.

Blaine's agonizing screams woke Kurt up in a panic. It took him several seconds to remember what had happened.

Blaine showing up bloody and battered on his doorstep, passing out in Kurt's arms, and begging him not to take him to the hospital.

The shower.

Leading him to the bedroom and tucking him in under the covers.

He'd fallen asleep with Blaine!

Kurt's mind was reeling in recollection as Blaine lay cowering on the floor on the opposite side of the bed, gasping in pain and whimpering audibly.

Kurt's eyes scanned up to where his father stood over Blaine's trembling form. He looked angrier than he'd ever seen him before. His face was flushed and he was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. Had Kurt not known that his father would never strike another person, he'd swear that he was inches away from laying a severe beating into the other boy.

"Dad! Please leave him! This is not what it looks like!" Kurt shouted, jumping off his side of the bed and quickly running around to kneel beside Blaine.

"Really Kurt? Cuz it looks an awful lot like you and this…" He stuttered, looking down at Blaine, "…this _asshole_ were… in bed…_naked_!"

Kurt looked down at his robe and subconsciously tightened the belt before reaching down and cradling the sobbing boy in his arms.

"Dad, he's… he's hurt." Kurt cried, trying to use the gentle touch of his arms and hands to console Blaine. He was sobbing inconsolably into Kurt's chest.

"Blaine, it's okay. He's not going to hurt you." He whispered into the boy's ear, gently sweeping his hand over his forehead, moving loose curls off to the side of his face.

Blaine was breathing in quick, pained gasps and had his eyes clenched tight. "Please don't let him touch me! Please don't let him touch me!"

The whimpers were desperate and terrified and chilled Kurt to the bone. He continued to hold Blaine tight in his arms, but could feel the boy gasping for breaths as he sobbed.

"Blaine, you have to calm down. You're safe okay? You're safe."

The boy was quickly becoming hysterical as his breaths became increasingly pained; loud wheezes audible from across the room.

Burt had instantly moved away from the cowering boy when he'd started screaming, and couldn't help but feel anxious. The aching gasps and sobs emanating from the curly-haired boy on the floor sent chills up his spine. Burt finally looked closer at Blaine and was horrified when he noticed for the first time, the endless number of bruises, cuts and scars that covered a large portion of the boy's tiny frame.

He watched as Kurt pulled the boy closer into his near-bare chest and held him tight, whispering gentle words of comfort into the boy's ear as he attempted to calm him. For the first time in a long while Burt was reminded of Kurt's mother and it brought a tear to his eye as he confirmed the resemblance of the two. The same kindness which was now seeping freely from Kurt was a key reason why he fell in love with Elizabeth all those years ago.

"Kurt…" He whispered, "What can I do?"

There were several tears seeping down his son's porcelain cheeks as he looked up from where he sat, desperately clinging to Blaine's trembling form.

"G-go get Carole. Something's wrong."

Burt never hesitated before turning around and running up the stairs.

Kurt tried to sit Blaine up but halted his efforts when the boy screamed at the sudden movement. His breaths became more ragged and a look of sheer panic crossed his face.

"Can't… breathe…" Blaine gasped.

Kurt lowered him back to his original position of comfort and continued running a gentle hand over the boy's forehead.

"It's okay Blaine, help is coming. Just keep breathing for me okay?"

The wheezes grew louder.

"P-please…" Blaine begged between harsh gasps.

"Blaine, you have to calm down. Please, you're scaring me!"

Blaine's eyes were wide and his face was contorted in obvious pain. He locked his right hand into Kurt's and squeezed, looking for any form of relief.

Carole rushed down the stairs and to the boy's side.

"Kurt, honey? Let me help, okay?"

Kurt nodded and moved around so Carole could pull Blaine up into her lap. He was still gasping, and had begun to flail his arms around in a panic at the loss of contact with Kurt.

"Blaine, sweetheart, you need to slow down your breathing, okay? You need to slow it down." Carole instructed calmly. She resumed Kurt's action of holding his hand while gently caressing the boy's forehead as she continued to speak to Blaine in a peaceful but composed tone.

"That's it sweetie, just breathe okay? You're having a panic attack. Just breathe in and out, nice and slow."

She mimicked the exaggerated breathing rate and was relieved when Blaine made a conscious effort to synchronize his inhalations to match hers. His color slowly improved and the look of sheer terror gradually dissolved from his pale face. The harsh wheezes melted into pained breaths and Blaine's firm grip on her hand relaxed slightly.

Kurt sat only inches away and began to relax to some extent as he noticed the immediate improvement of the other boy's condition. He had never seen anyone so panicked and so entirely afraid.

It chilled him to the bone.

"Carole? Is he… Is he going to be okay?" Kurt heard the voice of his father and turned to look to where he and Finn stood motionless by the bedroom door. Both men had terrified expressions painted on their white faces.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Finn questioned.

Blaine's face contorted once again and Kurt quickly spoke up, "No! Please don't! He doesn't want to go to the hospital."

"Kurt sweetie, Blaine is hurt pretty bad. He needs to see a doctor." Carole said, looking down over Blaine's beaten and battered figure.

Blaine suddenly began struggling against Carole's soft embrace and tried to push himself away from both her and Kurt.

"No… please don't. I-I can't…"

Carole was worried that the boy was going to start hyperventilating once again, so she reached out her hand gently towards his aching shoulder and gently caressed tiny circles into the muscles on his back.

"Blaine, you're shoulder looks really sore. If we take you…"

"No!" Blaine sobbed, "No hospital, please don't make me…"

He winced noticeably as he'd backed himself up against Kurt's bedside table, obviously re-aggravating his shoulder and ribs.

"Blaine, its okay, just relax, alright? No one is going to hurt you anymore." Kurt cooed, shifting slightly closer and returning his trembling hand to Blaine's and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's going to be okay. Carole is a nurse. She's going to help you Blaine. It's gonna be alright."

Blaine nodded slightly and returned his stare to where Carole sat with a look of genuine care and concern.

"Please help me."

The three words broke her heart into a million pieces and dropped her stomach to her feet. This poor boy had endured who knows what and obviously had nowhere else to turn for help. It was apparent that he and Kurt had formed some sort of bond since that day after the football game.

Carole leaned in close and spoke in the calmest and most protective voice she could muster.

"Blaine, I'm going to help Kurt lift you back up onto the bed so I can take a look at you, okay?"

The boy hesitated, looking deep into her eyes for several moments, as though making some sort of connection before silently nodding.

Carole and Kurt gently lifted him off the floor and back up onto the bed, where he winced slightly as he was set down on the mattress.

"Carole, he is… kind of… _sore_… down there, I think he'd prefer to stand."

Carole closed her eyes momentarily, trying desperately to contain the disgusted sigh which threatened to escape from her lips.

_This poor boy…_

"Blaine, would you like to stand?" She asked, her voice nowhere near as strong as she'd hoped.

Blaine looked ashamedly towards the floor and slowly nodded his head.

Kurt pulled Blaine's right arm behind own shoulders and wrapped his free arm around his friend's back and slowly lifted the boy to his feet.

A soft groan escaped Blaine's lips before he was standing fully erect, wobbling slightly on his unsure legs. Kurt remained positioned beside him, as Blaine leaned heavily into his left side, breathing shallow, pain-filled breaths.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked from beside him. "Do you want me to leave for this?"

"No!" The boy said with panicked eyes. "Please don't go."

Kurt tightened his grip on the boy's torso and whispered. "It's okay, I'll stay. I'm not going anywhere."

Carole smiled at the exchange. Although the words had sent a pang through her chest, it was obvious that Blaine trusted Kurt completely. Her heart warmed slightly as she felt pride for Burt's strong and courageous son.

Carole's heart broke with every new scar she came across during her examination. She placed a few butterfly strips across the gash above the boy's eye, effectively closing the wound.

"Okay sweetie, I'm going to have a look at your ribs now okay?" Carole said, cautiously moving in front of Blaine.

She took in the full view of the boy's chest and abdomen and was astonished to find even more bruises. Her eyebrows furrowed as he observed the dark purple contusions on the right side of his bare torso. She placed both her hands around his ribcage and instructed Blaine to take a deep breath.

When he tried to obey, he recoiled as his chest filled with air, expanding his ribcage and causing an infinite amount of pain to go shooting through his body.

"Alright sweetie, that's enough. I think you must have a couple of cracked or fractured ribs on this side. I'm going to wrap up your chest for you so it won't hurt so bad okay?"

Blaine nodded.

Carole disappeared from the bedroom, returning moments later with several white bandages. She carefully wrapped the bandages around Blaine's torso, binding his ribs tightly. Blaine could feel the relief instantly, and was comforted immensely when he found that it was suddenly slightly easier to breathe.

After she was finished, Carole moved her hands up to his left shoulder and gently felt the obvious deformity that was present and surrounded by bruises and multiple shades of discoloration.

"Blaine, can you move your fingers on this hand?"

He obliged the best he could, wiggling all five fingers only slightly. She felt his radial pulse and was happy to see that there was no circulatory compromise to the injured limb.

"Blaine, your shoulder is badly dislocated. It needs to be x-rayed and re-set."

Blaine's head popped up with her words and a new look of fear crossed his face.

"N-no… you said I wouldn't… I can't…"

"It's okay Blaine, just relax." Kurt encouraged from beside him. "She's just trying to help."

Blaine looked back into Carole's tender eyes and thought for a brief moment before whispering softly, "Can't you just fix it? Please?"

Carole shook her head softly, "No honey, the doctor needs to take an x-ray of it first to make sure he puts it back in the right position."

Blaine bowed his head, "It's been out a couple times before, and all you need to do is just pull it down and inwards. I tried to do it myself but… it didn't work. Please, can't you just do it here? Please?" He begged, several tears finding their way down his swollen cheek.

Carole sighed. The boy needed to see a doctor. That much was obvious. She could see the harm that had been inflicted to his body, and she was seriously concerned about the internal damage that may be present, especially if he had been assaulted sexually, which Kurt had all but implied. But she worried that if they forced him to do anything he didn't want to, that he might run off and be left alone. She couldn't let that happen.

The thought of the young boy having tried to re-set the injured limb himself sent waves of nausea through her.

Blaine was a tough, tough kid.

"Okay Blaine. We'll try it once, but if it doesn't re-set properly you have to promise to let me take you to see a doctor right away? Deal?"

Blaine nodded, another tear escaping down his cheek.

"Thank you." He whispered timidly.

"Don't thank me yet sweetheart. This is going to hurt."

She'd watched the doctor do this several times at the hospital, but she was still worried.

One wrong move and the boy could be left with permanent damage and disability.

"Kurt, I need you to hold him tight from behind him okay?" She instructed.

Kurt's eyes widened, but he nodded and slipped in behind Blaine, and placed both arms around his chest and torso, underneath both of the boy's arms.

Carole removed a pillowcase from the pillow on Kurt's bed and wrapped it neatly above Blaine's elbow, twisting it gently until it was snug around the boy's bicep.

"Blaine, are you ready?"

Blaine closed his eyes and released a deep breath before nodding.

"Deep breath now… on three…"

Blaine took in the deepest breath he could hold.

"One."

He closed his eyes.

"Two."

Kurt shifted uncomfortably behind Blaine, widening his stance and preparing for the worst.

"Three!" Carole shouted as she pulled the twisted pillowcase down and inwards, successfully snapping Blaine's shoulder back into place.

The shriek that Blaine released was mind numbing. His knees buckled and he would have surely fallen to the floor if not for Kurt's strong hold on his upper body.

He stopped breathing momentarily as he struggled to control the urge to shout out in agony.

"Blaine, I know it hurts but you have to breathe… Come on, sweetie…" Carole encouraged.

Blaine released the breath in short, agonizing gasps as tears fell freely down his face. A wave of nausea invaded his stomach and he suddenly felt the urge to be sick.

"I think I'm gonna…" He started, but Carole was prepared and held out the waste basket.

He clutched the bin with his right hand and retched several times, the dry heaves causing bolts of pain to shoot through his ribs and chest. Strings of drool slipped from his chin into the waste bin but his empty stomach refused to produce anything further.

Once he appeared finished, Carole handed him the damp cloth that she'd warmed under the faucet in the bathroom. He gratefully exchanged the bin for the cloth and gingerly wiped his face and chin.

She fixed his injured arm in a white sling, securing it tight across his chest in the same position that he'd been holding it on his own.

Again, instant relief flooded through the boy.

Carole reassessed the pulse in his wrist and when she was happy with the results, she looked back to where the boy seemed to be relaxing slightly into Kurt's body.

"Okay sweetie." Carole whispered, sliding a gentle hand down his cheek. "Does that feel better?"

Blaine nodded, his eyes still brimming with pain-induced tears.

"Alright." She smiled. "Kurt, why don't you help him back into bed and I'll go get some aspirin and an ice pack for his shoulder."

She disappeared once again, this time taking a wide-eyed Finn and Burt out of the room with her.

"Blaine?" Kurt ventured, after they were gone. "Are you doing okay?"

Blaine mumbled something quietly as his eyes slipped closed.

"Blaine?"

"Jus'tired." His words were slightly slurred.

"Alright, let's get you into bed and you can rest again, okay?" Kurt spoke softly as he turned the dazed boy around and helped him to lie back onto the bed. He adjusted the pillows beneath Blaine's head slightly and asked if the other boy was comfortable.

"Hmmmm" He moaned softly. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course." Kurt said, tucking him under the covers carefully. "I'll be right back, okay? I'm just going to change."

Another incomprehensible mumble escaped Blaine's lips as he relaxed into the soft cotton sheets.

Kurt quickly took a few moments in the bathroom to change into pajama pants and a T-shirt before nestling himself on the bed, above the covers, next to the exhausted teenager. Blaine's breathing had already leveled out and he seemed to be resting comfortably, so Kurt wrapped his arm protectively around the other boy and snuggled in close.

_I'll never let anyone hurt you again._

* * *

Carole returned to the bedroom several minutes later, carrying a glass of water, a bottle of aspirin and a package of frozen peas. As she approached the bed and was just about to open her mouth to speak, her eyes settled on the most tranquil scene she could have ever imagined.

Kurt was nestled into Blaine's side, with an arm draped over his bandaged torso, holding onto him protectively with a slight smile displayed across his delicate face.

Blaine was lying on his back, propped up with several pillows, with the fingers of his right hand entwined gracefully with Kurt's.

Both boys were sound asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! I love you all so much!**

**Calculus-is-tough** – Sorry it took me so long – but here is your update that you asked for! Thanks for reading!

**DrizzleSnow** – Thanks (again) for your continued support. I just love your reviews! Your kind words always warm my heart and encourage me to continue with this story.

**Bow-tiesScarfsAndCoffeeCups** – I'm sorry I made you cry! I frequently shed a few tears while writing this as well!

**The Unlikely Suspect** – Thanks so much for your review! Much appreciated!

**Jay Li Matsuda** – I'm glad that you like the format of my story. The song 'Underneath' was so inspiring to me, I knew immediately that it was going to be my story title.

**JMarieAllenPoe** – I appreciate your review. I love it when readers ask me questions about the content of the chapters. I hope you (all) don't mind that I just sent you a private message regarding the content to avoid posting spoilers

**Razeasha** – Thank you so much for your advice! I was silly and forgot to post the violence/trigger warning message! THANKS

**Msdarque** – Once again, you are one of my most dedicated readers and reviewers! Love you! XOXO There will be another chapter in the future explaining the aftermath of the attack on Jake and Blaine…

**Love you guys! **

**XOXO**

**-RH**


	17. Tears

**Author's Note:**

**Hello readers! I would like to invite you to watch a truly amazing video!**

**This is a 'speedpaint' done by DrizzleSnow (one of my most supportive reader/reviewers). Check out the YouTube Channel called "RedFeatherStorm" – and the video called 'Nobody will break you'. When I watched it, I was so moved. All I could think about was Kurt holding Blaine during Ch.16 of 'Underneath'. The light contrasting with the dark in the picture is incredible! **

**Also check out DrizzleSnow on deviantart (dot com) ****for more amazing artwork! You won't be sorry! I love it!**

**Happy (?) Reading!**

**-RH**

* * *

Chapter 17

_~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~_

_Sirens._

_Lots of Sirens._

_Flashing red and white strobe lights._

_Voices. _

_Terrified-sounding voices. _

_And then nothing…_

* * *

_The double doors leading into the Emergency Entrance of the Westerville Memorial Hospital automatically slid open allowing the Paramedic crew to enter, wheeling along a red stretcher. _

_One paramedic walked briskly alongside the stretcher rhythmically squeezing the large silicon bag of air, forcing into the lungs of the young man lying on the cot._

_Several nurses rushed towards the crew, anxiously asking questions and barking out orders._

"_Do we know who he is?"_

"_What's his GCS?"_

"_Get me five of morphine, now!"_

"_Did you get the bleeding controlled?"_

"_Call CT and tell them we're on our way up with a potential cerebral herniation!"_

"_Somebody, keep trying to get a hold of his family!"_

"_When is the second truck coming?"_

"_They were right behind us; they should be here soon…"_

"_Damn it! He's decorticate…"_

_As quickly as he'd arrived, the boy was stabilized and rushed upstairs to the radiography department while several nurses and technicians quickly prepared the operating rooms._

_The second ambulance pulled into the bay moments later, and another boy was whisked through the doors nearly as quickly. _

_The oxygen mask affixed to Blaine's face made it exceedingly difficult to speak, and muffled his pained cries and groans. _

_His eyes fearfully darted from side to side, trying to take in as much information as he possibly could. _

"_Honey, you're at the hospital." A middle-aged, dark blonde nurse gingerly rubbed his arm as he was poked and prodded by other doctors, nurses and the paramedic crew that brought him in. _

"_You're going to be alright now sweetie…"_

_Blaine squeezed his eyes shut, causing several tears to stream down his face when a new wave of pain surged through his chest as the rigid plastic spineboard to which he was securely fastened tipped slightly to the side as he was moved from the EMS stretcher onto a hospital gurney. _

_He grunted in short, shallow breaths, each increasing the pain in his chest tenfold. _

"_Let's get some more morphine over here… Our little guy is hurting quite a bit…" The nurse said, looking up from Blaine's battered frame momentarily._

_Seconds later Blaine could feel a slight stinging sensation in the crook of his arm, followed by a flow of warmth flooding his system, which made his head begin to swim slightly. _

_He blinked several times, trying to clear the cobwebs, unable to move his head as it too, was fixed firmly to the board. A pair of semi-rigid head blocks prevented him from turning his head to the side to take in his surroundings. _

_The same nurse leaned back over his face and he noted, in a drug-induced haze, that she had the most gentle looking eyes he'd ever seen._

"_Honey, can you tell me your name?"_

_Blaine opened his mouth to speak, running his dry tongue over his chapped lips before hoarsely whispering into the oxygen mask._

_The nurse leaned down closer to his face and gently lifted the mask away from his lips. "Sorry, honey, say that again?"_

"_J-Jake?"_

_She replaced the mask back onto Blaine's pale face. "Okay Jake, we're going to take good care of you now, okay?"_

_Blaine's eyebrows furrowed and he tried to shake his head but to no avail. He slowly lifted an unrestrained hand to his face and tried to pull off the mask himself, but the nurse gently cradled his hand in her own and spoke gently, "It's okay, we have to leave this on Jake, it's helping you to breathe right now."_

_Blaine closed his eyes in frustration. The drugs were making it harder and harder to focus and he just wanted to know about his friend's condition. _

"_B-Blaine." he sputtered into the mask._

"_Is that your last name?"_

_He was able to shake his head enough for the nurse to understand. She pulled the mask away for a brief moment as Blaine felt himself slipping away into the darkness once again._

"_Blaine." He gasped, pointing to himself. "W-where's Jake?"_

_It was getting increasingly harder to breathe and Blaine found himself panting just to coerce enough air in through his mouth to partially fill his lungs. _

_A doctor placed a stethoscope over his chest and listened thoughtfully for a few moments before he softly tapped two fingers over Blaine's ribs and continued to listen. _

"_He has decreased lung sounds. It sounds pretty dull – I'd say a hemothorax on the left side. We need to put in a chest tube."_

_Hemo-what?_

"_His BP is dangerously low. There has to be some internal bleeding somewhere."_

_Blaine's mind started to race and he could feel the anxiety and panic begin to rise. His breathing became progressively more labored until he had to clench his eyes closed just to focus enough to keep forcing air into his screaming lungs._

"_Blaine, is it? You need to calm down, son. We're going to make it easier for you to breathe. Hold on buddy." A different voice echoed from somewhere above where he lay._

_The pain in his chest from lack of oxygen was becoming intolerable. Blaine lifted his hands and tried to pry the oxygen mask off his face. He felt as though it was suffocating him. _

_Several sets of hands rushed in and pulled his arms down to his sides, as black spots filled his vision. He became extremely light-headed and for a moment he was certain that he was going to pass out. _

_He struggled in vain against the strong limbs, which held him in place._

"_Someone, be ready to ventilate, we're going to have to intubate. Let's sedate him for now…"_

"_Blaine, keep breathing buddy… Come on…"_

_Another hot pinch into his arm moments later, followed by the warm flow of drugs invading his system._

_Blaine welcomed the blackness._

* * *

_The heavy fog circling his brain made it next to impossible for Blaine to open his eyes._

_He struggled to pry them open and found that it felt as though they were taped closed. His eyelids felt so heavy that it was all he could do to force them open just a crack before helplessly allowing them to fall closed once again._

_After several attempts, Blaine was able to open his eyes enough to see that he was no longer in the hectic ER with dozens of people hovering around him like a swarm of hornets, buzzing orders and asking him questions he was unable to answer._

_He was alone in a room. A white room. _

_And it was dark._

_The second thing he realized was that it didn't hurt to breathe anymore. _

_In fact, he felt pretty good. He couldn't feel any pain anywhere in his body._

_He almost giggled at the fact that, what seemed like only moments ago, he thought he was surely going to die. He remembered the pain that had been surging through his core and it made him shudder. _

_But now… He felt amazing! He felt like he could jump right up from this bed and…_

_Whatsthatnoise?_

_Until that moment, he hadn't paid any attention to the buzzing of machines or the steady stream of beeps coming from the monitor that was located near the head of the bed. There were several graphs on the tiny screen showing a bunch of numbers and squiggly lines that Blaine wasn't sure what they represented. _

_Since the neck collar had been removed, Blaine was able to turn his head slightly to the side and he spent several minutes expressionlessly watching the squiggly lines move across the monitor before his sluggish eyes followed the cords and tubes that were attached to the machine._

_Blaine was horrified to see how many of them were connected… to him. _

_A second IV line had been placed in his other arm and both had multiple pouches of fluid dripping down into his veins. One bag was filled with a thick red substance that Blaine could only assume was blood._

_Several more tubes were coming out from under where he lay on the pristine white sheets of the hospital bed. One seemed to make its way down towards his pelvis. Blaine followed the line of the tubing and blinked when he discovered that the other end of the tube entered a bag filled with yellow fluid that looked strikingly similar to urine. _

_Another tube seemed to be attached to his chest somehow, buried deep, underneath multiple layers of blankets._

_His tired eyes followed yet another tube that started from a large machine with what looked like a large white plunger that seemed to grow inside a clear plastic window and then fall steadily with a loud 'whoosh'. _

_The tube trailed across to the bed and up towards his…_

_Oh god. What the fuck is that?_

_Now almost fully alert, Blaine brought a shaky hand up to his mouth until it came to rest on a large, cold plastic tube that was taped to side of his mouth. _

_He moved his lips and tried to call out, but found that the tube was secured inside his throat._

_The sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks and his natural breathing rate quickened almost instantaneously. The air from the ventilator flushed into him at a steady rate, forcing him to consciously swallow the air as it was driven into his lungs. _

_The heart rate monitor began to beep frantically as the panic once again set in. _

_Blaine's trembling hands tugged at the tubing, but when he moved it even a fraction of a millimeter, the tube hit the back of his throat and he thought he might be sick. _

_A nurse rushed into the room after hearing the alarms on the monitor going off. _

"_Blaine? Sweetie! You shouldn't be awake! Hold on…"_

_She gently pulled Blaine's fingers away from the tube before placing a reassuring hand on his chest._

_The nurse quickly adjusted the drip rate on one of the IV bags before returning her gaze to the pale boy on the bed._

"_It's okay honey. You can go back to sleep now…"_

_She gently ran her fingers over his forehead and brushed the stray curls off to the side. _

_The nurse couldn't help but allow a single tear to trickle down her cheek. _

_This poor boy was here all alone. They hadn't been able to track down his parents yet. _

_She was reminded of her own son, who was probably not much older than the tiny boy lying in the bed beside her. If this were her son, in this bed, fighting for his life, she would surely be at his side. _

_What could possibly be more important than the life of your own child?_

_She continued to caress the boy's forehead until Blaine could feel the drugs take effect once again and he could feel himself beginning to lose the battle of consciousness. _

_A tiny whimper escaped his lips as he looked up into the loving, gentle eyes of his nurse._

"_Ssshhhhh honey," she whispered. "You're okay now."_

_He nodded gently before his eyes closed and he drifted away._

* * *

_Twisted visions of knives and punches tormented his dreams as Blaine struggled in the bed. His arms lashed out in front of his face subconsciously as he tried to protect himself from the blows. _

"_Blaine sweetie, it's alright. You're just having a nightmare."_

_A gentle hand on his shoulder was enough to pry him from the depths of his cruel subconscious._

_As he awoke with a start, he instinctively opened his mouth to take a deep breath of air and found that he no longer had the tube in his throat. The cool air rushed into his lungs quickly, causing him to enter a fit of excruciatingly painful coughs. Each time he forced the air from his body it felt like his lungs and throat were being burned with acid. _

'_Blaine, you're alright. It's just from the tube. Your throat is a little raw right now. Try and relax."_

_The gentle hand was running up and down his shoulder, with her thumb caressing soft circles into his flesh._

"_Sweetie, do you need a drink of water?"_

_Blaine nodded, still trying to catch his breath._

"_Try not to speak just yet, okay?" the nurse instructed, bringing a cup filled with water and a straw up to his mouth. _

"_Here you go. Just a little sip, okay?"_

_Blaine nodded, hungrily allowing the straw to settle on his bottom lip. He sucked in a large mouthful and nearly choked when it burned as the water travelled down his damaged esophagus. _

_Another fit of coughs caused him to lean back into the pillow and clench his eyes shut. The burning of his throat and lungs was unbearable. _

_After several moments, he felt as though it was safe to try and swallow again and he was able to successfully swallow the saliva that had remained in his mouth. It burned, but not nearly as much as it had before._

"_There you go. Is that better?"_

_Blaine nodded, looking up at the nurse._

_He opened his mouth to speak, and was shocked when no words came out. He looked at the nurse nervously, who once again, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder._

"_It's normal for you to be a little hoarse right now. That tube did a good number on your throat. Just relax for a little bit and you'll be good as new in no time." She said with a genuine smile. "I suppose you have a bunch of questions?"_

_Blaine swallowed and nodded once again._

"_You're in the hospital. Do you remember the attack?"_

_All at once, the memories from the attack in the alley flooded back into his mind like a tidal wave. He looked up and nodded, with a look of fear mixed with anxiety etched into his dark features._

_The nurse offered a consoling smile. "We were finally able to locate your parents. They're on their way home from their business trip to see you."_

_Blaine's eyes widened. His parents would be none too happy that he forced them to end their trip early._

"_They sounded pretty worried when I was finally able to speak with them."_

_Blaine relaxed slightly. _

_Maybe they do give a damn._

_Blaine suddenly sucked in a breath and looked up at the nurse before squeezing her hand and harshly whispering, "J-Jake?"_

_The nurse's smile faltered slightly. _

"_He's upstairs honey." She explained softly._

_Is he okay? Blaine's lips moved, but once again, no sound came out._

_The nurse nodded slightly. "He's… asleep right now Blaine."_

"_Can I see him?" They were crackly and rough, and it sounded harsh, but the words were spoken aloud._

_The nurse nodded. "When you are ready, we'll take you up there, but for now you need to rest, okay?"_

_Blaine nodded, feeling suddenly exhausted. His chest still ached and he felt incredibly weak. _

"_Okay sweetheart, you get some sleep, okay? When you wake up, your parents should be here."_

_Blaine nodded once more, and laid his head back against the pillow. He closed his eyes and found sleep within minutes._

* * *

_Voices. _

_He could hear voices buzzing around him. _

_Many voices he was unfamiliar with, and several he knew that he should be able to place. _

_The voices were speaking about things he didn't understand. _

"…_blunt force trauma…"_

"…_blood in his pleural cavity..."_

"…_collapsed lung…"_

"…_flail chest…"_

"…_lacerated spleen…"_

"…_liver damage…"_

"…_internal bleeding…"_

"…_laparoscopic surgery…"_

_Blaine struggled to find consciousness as the voices continued. _

"_How could this happen?" A familiar voice. _

"_The police are still investigating. So far, they haven't been able to isolate any suspects. Since neither boy has been able to supply them with a statement, they don't have much to go on."_

"_How long will he be in the hospital?"_

"_Blaine is going to have an extensive recovery period. His body suffered a lot of damage from the attack. Most of it was internal - the rib fractures caused a lot of damage in there. We'd hoped to be able to repair everything laparoscopically, but once we got in there we reassessed the damaged and decided that further action was required. We did a partial splenectomy – that is, we removed the portion of his spleen that was so badly damaged that it was irreparable. There looks to be some damage to his liver, but the extent of it is not certain just yet. It's going to be a wait-and-see game with that. We're hoping it will repair itself if we let it heal properly."_

"_What about Jake? What do we tell him about Jake?" Another familiar voice. This one, Blaine recognized immediately to belong to his mother. _

"_We're going to have to be careful not to upset him. He's been through a lot and we don't want to cause unjust stress. His body needs all the R&R we can give it right now. He's young and he's tough so we shouldn't have any problems getting him healed up and out of here in a month or so."_

"_So we shouldn't tell him?"_

_Silence._

"_He has a right to know."_

"_He's been asking about him the entire time."_

"_He needs to know…"_

"_I need to know what?"_

_A collective gasp filled the room, the adults obviously stressing about what the boy may or may not have potentially overheard._

"_Blaine! Oh Blaine! You're awake!" His mother rushed to his bedside and picked up his pale hand, holding it tightly in her own ring-clad fingers._

_Blaine looked up at his mom and blinked his eyes slowly, still trying to recover from the heavy dosage of medications coursing through his veins. _

"_Mom?" It was more of a question than a statement. _

"_Yes baby, I'm here. You're okay now. Mommy's here."_

_The stress and horror of the preceding events rushed into his mind once again as Blaine felt one of his mother's hands squeeze his own and he felt her running her other fingers through his dark curls on his forehead. _

"_Mom, I was so scared…" He sobbed, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. His voice was still hoarse and the sound coming from his lips was not much more than a pitiful whimper._

"_It's okay baby. You're safe now."_

_Mr. Anderson took this moment to step over, next to the bed and lay a hand on his son's leg. _

"_Blaine. Are you in any pain right now, son?"_

_Blaine collected himself and tried to brush away the tears. _

_His father didn't like it when he cried._

_He shook his head and sniffled, "I'm okay."_

"_Alright then" the man said confidently. "I am going to go speak to the police and find out what is happening with the investigation. The people who did this are not going to get away with it."_

_Blaine shuddered as he remembered the fierce looks on his attacker's faces. _

"_Blaine?" It was the same nurse from the other night. "Are you feeling sick to your stomach right now? The pain medicine we have you on can sometimes cause an upset tummy."_

_Blaine shook his head. "I'm fine, thank you."_

_His throat was still raw and sore from the intubation but he had so many more questions to ask that he chose to ignore the burning pain that flared with every word._

"_Where's Jake? Can I see him now?"_

_Blaine's father stopped suddenly as he had been walking out the hospital room door._

_Blaine didn't miss the glances that were exchanged throughout the room._

"_What's going on? Where is he?"_

_He noticed his father nod once in this mother's direction before turning and walking out the door._

_Blaine returned his worried gaze towards his mother's face, who now had tears streaming down her face. _

"_Mom?"_

"_Oh sweetheart," his mother cried, sitting next to him on the bed and pulling his hand in between her own. _

"_Jake didn't make it."_

_What?_

_Blaine blinked, unsure if he'd heard the words correctly._

"_What do you mean he didn't m-make it?" Blaine's breathing quickened._

"_Sweetie, he was hurt really bad. He got hit in the head."_

_Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing._

"_B-but I felt him." He croaked. "He was still breathing."_

_Mrs. Anderson closed her eyes, causing several more tears to escape down her cheeks._

"_Baby, he was here in the hospital for a few days b-before he…" She stuttered, not sure how to continue. _

_The nurse stepped in then and took over the explanation._

"_Blaine, Jake was in a coma. His brain was damaged from the attack and it wasn't getting better. He wasn't able to breathe on his own so his parents decided to take him off the ventilator. He passed away a couple of days ago."_

_Blaine's mouth was open and he was breathing in short, shallow gasps. Tears welled at the sides of his eyes and he blinked, as if he were trying to shake himself from a nightmare._

"_But…" He sobbed, "You said I could go see him."_

_The nurse's face fell. _

"_Blaine, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have promised you that. When I told you he was sleeping, it was when he was in the coma. We were still hoping for him to come out of it."_

_Blaine turned his head away from both his mother and the nurse and cried softly to himself._

"_Blaine honey, you know it's not your fault, right?" The nurse said, walking around to the opposite side of the bed and sitting down next to him. _

_Blaine looked up at her and swallowed. "He didn't even want to go. I made him go." The words were pained and wedged between sobs._

"_Blaine?" Mrs. Anderson questioned. _

"_The stupid dance. If we hadn't gone he wouldn't be…"_

_He couldn't say the word out loud._

_Dead. Jake wouldn't be dead._

"_Oh honey. It's not because of the dance. It was just the wrong place and the wrong time."_

_Blaine shook his head in disbelief. _

_They didn't know. _

_They didn't have a clue what really happened that night. _

_It wasn't just a random attack. It was a gay bashing. _

_Those three men in the alley had gay bashed Jake to death._

_Jake's parents knew that he was gay; they'd probably already put the pieces together without witness statements. _

_Blaine shuddered when he realized that the truth would most likely come out and he would be exposed to his parents. _

_His dad would disown him once he knew the truth._

_The nurse, sensing Blaine's inner conflicts decided that it would be an appropriate time for Blaine to get some rest. _

"_He's been through a lot. He has a lot to think about, and I think he could use some alone time. I'll be here to check on him throughout the night and you and your husband can come back first thing in the morning."_

_She allowed Mrs. Anderson to give Blaine a hesitant kiss on his cheek before escorting her back out to the hospital waiting room._

_After the Andersons had left for the evening she strolled back in to the room to find Blaine still sobbing silently. _

"_Can I get you anything sweetie? Do you need a drink of water?"_

_Blaine shook his head. He didn't feel like talking to anyone. He just wanted to be alone. To think about what had happened. What he had caused. _

"_It's not your fault Blaine," she said eerily, as though she had read his mind. "There is nothing you could have done."_

_Blaine blinked away several tears before looking over to where the nurse sat next to him. _

"_He told me to run, and I didn't."_

_She nodded, encouraging him to continue. _

"_Then when that guy was gonna…" he hesitated, a shiver running up his spine as he recalled the events. He could still feel the other teenager's hands on his body. "…gonna hurt me, Jake stopped him. He saved me."_

_The nurse tightened her grip on his hand and sighed. _

_This poor boy…_

"_Blaine. I know there are some things that you might not want to talk about with the police, or with your parents, but you need to know how important it is that you talk to someone about what happened. The police need all the help they can get to catch the guys that did this and you are the only one that can help them."_

_Blaine shook his head. "I-I can't tell them."_

_She squeezed his hand once again. "They only want to help you Blaine."_

"_My parents won't understand," he said sadly, "You can't tell them, okay? Promise me you won't tell them!"_

_She nodded. "I will leave it up to you to tell them Blaine. But just know, you can talk to me, okay? About anything."_

_Blaine sniffled and nodded, finally feeling some comfort for the first time since he'd awakened. This nurse seemed to understand what was going on inside his head and for that, he would be forever grateful._

"_Thank you …" He hesitated, looking to her chest to read her nametag._

"_Carole," she said softly, squeezing his hand once again and wiping a stray tear from his face. _

"_You can call me Carole."_

_~~~ END OF FLASHBACK ~~~_

* * *

"Carole?"

"Carole honey? Are you okay?"

Burt Hummel quietly reached his arm around and turned Carole so she was facing him. His heart sunk when he noticed the steady stream of tears that were trailing down her cheeks. Her face was pale and she appeared more distraught than he had ever seen before.

Usually, Carole Hudson was a happy woman; so full of life, it was strange for Burt to see her with a frown and sad, puffy eyes.

Burt pulled the woman into his strong arms and held her close. The smell of cinnamon mixed with motor oil emanated through Kurt's bedroom upon their embrace.

"It's going to be alright. We'll figure this out together, okay?" Burt murmured.

Carole sniffled, and brought a hand up to her face to wipe away some of the tears before she nodded silently.

Burt looked over her shoulder to where the two boys lay in his son's bed, sound asleep.

A wave of guilt flooded through him as he replayed the scene in his mind. The agonizing shriek from Blaine as the injured boy was hauled off the bed and landed so unsympathetically on the floor.

Burt certainly hadn't meant to injure the boy. Had he known that he was so beaten and bruised, he certainly would never have treated him so roughly.

So many questions were running through his mind.

What had happened to the boy? Had he been mugged?

Why, after the strict warning that he'd given Blaine after the football game, would he even choose to come to Burt's home, of all places? Burt couldn't remember Blaine ever being in his home before; how had he known where they'd lived?

How had Blaine even gotten here? There were no extra vehicles parked out front of the house when he'd arrived home earlier.

Burt was so thankful that Carole had been there during Blaine's panic attack. He'd had no idea what was going on or how to deal with the hysterical boy. He'd just watched in utter amazement as Carole had held the boy in her arms and consoled him.

After several moments of silence, Carole lifted her head from Burt's shoulder and swallowed.

"We should leave them. Blaine needs to rest."

Burt nodded and turned to walk beside Carole up the stairs but she paused before gathering up the bloodstained football uniform and jeans from the floor, and carrying them with her up the steps.

When they reached the laundry room, Carole immediately soaked the clothes in stain remover and began to scrub furiously at the bloodstains with a soft bristled brush.

"Carole, you don't have to…" Burt started but was interrupted.

"Who could do this to him?" Carole was visibly upset again, her voice several octaves higher than her normal register.

Burt moved in behind her and rested his arms around hers and pulled her back into his chest. Carole stopped scrubbing and leaned into the embrace.

They stood silently unmoving for several minutes before Carole sighed.

"He shouldn't have to go through this again."

Burt raised his left eyebrow questioningly. "Hmmm?"

Carole knew that she shouldn't divulge any personal information about patients to anyone outside the hospital, but she needed Burt to understand what the young boy downstairs had already endured. She'd instantly recognized the boy that day after the football game but didn't know whether or not Blaine realized who she was. She'd been shocked at the way in which Burt had spoken to him that evening, but didn't have the heart to interrupt or try to explain anything. She wasn't sure if Blaine was 'out' at McKinley, and she certainly wasn't going to risk exposing him.

"It was almost two years ago." She started hesitantly.

Burt, obviously confused, gently turned Carole so she was facing him once again. "What was two years ago?"

"When I first met Blaine."

Burt's eyes widened.

_What?_

Carole looked down to the floor. "It was when I was working nights at the Westerville hospital."

Burt nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"He was brought in by ambulance. He and a friend of his had been attacked after a school dance."

Burt's breath caught.

_Attacked_?

"He was pretty messed up Burt." Carole said, looking back into the deep blue eyes of the older man. "His injuries were extensive. The men that attacked them beat him to within an inch of his life. He had to have several surgeries to repair the damage. While he was in the hospital recovering, his liver wasn't healing properly and the doctors had to do emergency surgery on him one night. He coded on the operating table. They barely got him back. He spent months in the hospital after that. At one point, the doctors weren't even sure if he would survive."

Tears were flowing down Burt's cheeks but he made no effort to try and hide them.

_Blaine had almost died. _

"He was a tough kid. He fought so hard to come back. He never gave up." Carole said with a sniffle.

Burt's mind was racing with all of this new information. The guilt that he had been feeling previously was triplicated and his chest burned with pity and sorrow.

Carole took a breath before continuing.

"His parents were at the hospital with him for the first while. Until they found out the cause of the attack."

_Oh_?

"Blaine had gone to the dance with another boy, Burt." Carole said, looking up at the man with a tear-streaked face. "They were attacked because they were gay."

Burt stared at Carole as though he was waiting for the punchline.

"W-what?"

Carole's forehead wrinkled and her eyebrows furrowed as she considered her words.

"Blaine is gay."

Burt was speechless.

"His parents didn't know. They found out that the other boy was gay and they blamed him for the attack. It got pretty ugly." Carole informed.

"What happened?"

"Jake, that was Blaine's friend…" Carole started, before Burt interrupted her.

"Was?"

"He died in the hospital. The men that attacked them hit him in the head with a pipe or something. He had severe brain damage and his parents were forced to take him off life support several days after the attack."

Burt felt his knees grow weak.

"Blaine's father was angry and blamed Jake's sexuality for the attack. Blaine was torn and couldn't tell his parents the truth. It was over a month before they finally figured it out and Mr. Anderson flipped out. He denied it initially of course, but Blaine insisted that it was true and that Jake had actually saved him from…" Carole hesitated. "…further harm."

Burt felt like his chest was going to explode.

_How could someone feel that way about his own child? _

Of course, it hadn't been an easy task for Burt while raising Kurt, especially having been a single father, but there was never a single second of a single day that Burt had ever considered his son less worthy of his love and attention just because he liked boys instead of girls.

"Blaine was heartbroken." Carole continued. "His father stopped coming to see him in the hospital and forbade his mother from visiting too. She snuck in a couple times at the beginning, but after the first month or two, I never saw either of them. The last time she came in to visit him, I overheard her trying to convince Blaine to tell his father that it wasn't true. She was trying to get him to lie about being straight."

Burt's sadness dissolved into anger and he suddenly found himself clenching his fists and felt his face growing warm with emotion.

"I worked with Blaine for months in his rehabilitation until August or September when he was well enough to leave the hospital and his father sent him away to boarding school. Dalton Academy, I believe it's called." Carole recalled.

"I'd always wondered what had happened to him. He was such a polite and sweet boy and deserved so much better than how his parents treated him. I couldn't believe that was him that day out on the football field. I would never have imagined him being well enough to play such a rough sport."

"You knew he was gay this whole time, and you didn't tell me?" The words weren't spoken in an accusatory tone, but each one burned holes into Carole's chest nevertheless.

She lowered her head once again. "It wasn't my story to tell, Burt. Please don't be upset. I just didn't think it would be wise to get involved."

Burt took Carole's head in his callused hands and raised her chin so she was looking into his own eyes.

"I could never be upset with you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

He kissed her forehead gently and wiped away her tears with both of his thumbs.

"If I have anything to say about this _situation_," He said boldly, "I'd say we are most definitely already involved."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks to everyone for your reviews! It inspires me to keep writing! Love you all! xoxo**

**Ch. 16 Review Responses:**

**libros5 - I can't think that our boys will be "getting together" any time right away. Blaine (obviously) has a lot to deal with right now, but at least now they have each other!**

**DrizzleSnow - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You know I love you so much! Your kind words mean so much to me!**

**msdarque - I love Carole. I think there is a tonne of potential for her character to develop. Her and Burt are just... awesome together.**

**klainer96 - Thanks! I love Klaine too!**

**Razeasha - Compromising indeed! I love awkward situations! ha ha. Thanks for reading! As far as you not expecting Blaine to show up like that... desperate times call for desperate measures!**

**Calculus-is-tough - Thanks! I love writing it!**

**JMarieAllenPoe - Thanks so much for your review! It was #50! and over 10,000 views ! I'm so honoured by all the support you (all) have shown me! Thanks so much!**

**XOXOXOXOXOXO**

**-RH**


	18. In My Eyes

Chapter 18

Kurt was slumped in a semi-sitting position with his back up against the wooden headboard of his bed. The dull ache caused by the unforgiving pine against the tense muscles of his back had long since been ignored as he lay silently, running his long, delicate fingers through the mass of unkempt curly dark hair belonging to the boy laying next to him.

Blaine had somehow maneuvered onto his right side; his fractured ribs obviously not protesting as loudly as earlier and he was curled up in a ball with his left shoulder, still in its sling, draped across his chest and his knees brought up close to his middle. Kurt couldn't help but notice how the position made the frail-looking boy appear even smaller.

Kurt was almost certain that Blaine had lost some tone and muscle mass over the past few weeks. His cheeks appeared hollow underneath the layer of multicolored bruises on his face. His arms, once strong and attractive, now appeared weak and emaciated. Under the white bandages, which were binding his still-healing chest cavity, several ribs seemed to nearly protrude out of his skin on his uninjured side.

Blaine looked nothing like the boy who'd been attacking the punching bag in the gym with such ferocity mere weeks ago.

If Kurt didn't know any better, he'd say that Blaine looked malnourished.

A tiny whimper escaped the younger boy's lips as Kurt ran a finger over his prominent cheekbone.

Although Blaine had been sleeping for what seemed like an eternity, Kurt doubted that it had been a restful slumber. Near-constant whimpers and groans had plagued the boy since he'd first fallen asleep on Kurt's bed. It was as though his mind, even while at rest, was riddled with nightmares. Several times, he'd reached out his un-slinged arm as though he was protecting himself from an imaginary foe. Kurt had remained at his side from the beginning, but the sight of Blaine cowering away from his dreamland villains continued to claw at his heart.

He had never imagined that such atrocities could ever happen in a small town like Lima, Ohio. Kurt had been so naïve to believe that the worst that could happen to a boy his age was homophobic bullying in the hallways at school. Now, with the tattered and broken boy still nestled into his side, Kurt's imagination had taken a trip into overdrive and his mind was teeming with horrific possibilities of what Blaine may have been subjected to.

The night that he'd discovered Blaine on his doorstep, after the boy had all but passed out due to exhaustion, Kurt had overheard his father and Carole discussing Blaine's previous homophobic attack. He'd not meant to eavesdrop on their obviously private conversation, but he'd been on his way to the kitchen for a glass of water, and when he'd heard that the hushed conversation had involved his friend, he couldn't pry himself away.

Kurt had been shocked to discover that Carole had known Blaine from before, but had failed to mention anything about it. He'd concluded that he could appreciate her keeping the confidential information to herself but it was distressing to know that Blaine hadn't felt comfortable sharing that information with him. Blaine had obviously already been through a lot of pain and heartbreak in his lifetime and Kurt wished that he could do something to make the pain go away.

The part of the story that had upset Kurt the most was when he'd learned how Blaine's family had essentially abandoned him when he had no doubt needed them the most. He'd been left in the hospital all alone for months, recuperating and recovering from the extent of his injuries.

Blaine had almost died.

When Kurt had heard the words come from Carole's mouth informing Burt that the boy, now passed out downstairs, had almost died on the operating room table not two years before, he had struggled to keep a horrified gasp from exposing his hiding spot next to the laundry room.

He now found himself growing increasingly angrier when he thought about Mr. and Mrs. Anderson leaving their fourteen-year-old son to fend for himself before dumping him in some boarding school in attempt to try and 'straighten' him out.

If not for the continued support from Carole, Blaine would have been all alone.

The thought of Carole being the nurse in care of Blaine during his hospital stay had soothed Kurt's mind slightly, knowing that she was the most caring and devoted individual that he had ever met. Even in the short time that she had been dating Burt, Carole and Kurt had grown very fond of each other.

Although he was only eight when his mother had passed away, Kurt could remember how she had shared many of the same traits as Carole and he was comforted by the fact that his father had found someone to love and take care of him once again.

After hearing Carole's version of Blaine's story, Kurt would never again take for granted the amazing relationship he had with his father.

His father, who had never once blamed him for being gay, never spoke harsh words to him, and who supported him in his decisions and (sometimes outlandish) ideas since he was young.

His father, who loved him for who he was.

Kurt had never felt so lucky in all his life. He momentarily felt guilty for being so self-absorbed with his issues at school; Karofsky's bullying seemed so insignificant now, when compared to what Blaine had been dealing with all along. How could he have been so blind? Surely he should have noticed that Blaine was in trouble. Had he really been that non-observant, or had Blaine just done an exceptionally good job of hiding it?

The boy in question stirred in his sleep, rousing Kurt from his thoughts.

He lifted his arm up and curled it around Blaine's torso, holding him tight. He'd found that when the nightmares were at their worst, Blaine seemed to relax ever so slightly when he held him close.

Several more heartbreaking whimpers and pained groans found their way through the boy's chapped lips before Kurt heard a tiny, pleading voice break the silence.

"…please don't touch me."

Kurt closed his eyes in sadness and a tear made its way down his cheek as he clutched the boy to his chest and looked skywards. He wasn't religious by any stretch of his imagination, but he just wanted answers. He didn't care where the guidance came from; he just wanted to know what he needed to do to help this broken boy.

"It's okay Blaine. I'm here." Kurt cooed, gently running a thumb over the boy's sweat-covered forehead.

Blaine continued to tremble slightly, before relaxing under the tender touch.

Kurt held him tight, leaning Blaine's head onto his lap once again, carefully, as not to wake him.

"It's going to be okay Blaine, I'm not going anywhere." He murmured soothingly. "I'll be right beside you."

* * *

Soundlessly, Burt Hummel gently pried open the door into Kurt's bedroom and stuck his bald head in through the resulting crack, looking almost nervous as he glanced at the way his son was holding his friend while resting on his bed.

Kurt was looking towards the ceiling, with an obvious sadness filling his soul. Dried tear tracks were visible on the near-translucent skin of his cheeks.

He looked desperate.

It was as though he was desperately seeking out answers to aid Blaine through his unspoken anguish and pain.

Burt noticed that Kurt's pale skin seemed to shine against the darkness of Blaine's bare torso, which was tanned under the many bruises and abrasions.

Much like his mother, Kurt had always had a lightened aura. He seemed to emanate positivity and hopefulness during times of sorrow. Ever since Elizabeth had passed away, all those years ago, Burt had often relied on his son to provide him with optimism and a sunny disposition during the tough times.

The contrast of the two skin tones was added to by the sadness and sorrow surrounding Blaine, which seemed to emit a dark glow that encircled his tortured body.

As he stood staring at the ironically tranquil scene before him, Burt wished with all his strength that his son could share some of his light with the other boy.

* * *

A near-silent knock on the door aroused Kurt from his thoughts.

"Hey buddy." His father whispered. "Blaine still sleeping?"

Kurt nodded wordlessly, trying to avoid waking the still-trembling figure locked tight in his embrace.

"Can you come upstairs? Carole and I need to speak with you."

Kurt looked down to where Blaine lay with his head nestled comfortably in his lap. The fingers on his right hand were desperately clinging to the fabric of Kurt's silk pajama pants. Blaine's face was furrowed, causing deep crevices to appear on his forehead, whether from fear or pain, or possibly both, Kurt was unsure.

The exhausted teen looked back up to where his father remained standing in the doorway, as if to imply that he was unsure if he should or even _could_ move from his current position.

He didn't want to leave Blaine alone.

"He'll be okay." Burt whispered. "Come on son, we need to talk."

Kurt drew together his eyebrows in hesitation. He looked down once again at Blaine's sleeping form before carefully lifting the smaller teen's head up out of his lap. Kurt gently slid out from underneath him and replaced Blaine's head onto a pillow. The boy groaned and Kurt froze, not wanting to wake him. After he seemed to relax into the pillow and his breathing had evened out, Kurt gingerly pried Blaine's fingers from the death-grip he'd taken on his pajamas and laid his hand down gently on the bed beside him. Blaine's fingers instantly clenched once again around the sheets on the bed.

Definitely not a peaceful sleep.

Kurt sighed, and pulled the fluffy chocolate brown duvet cover up around Blaine's chin and tucked in the edges carefully, as not to unnecessarily bump any of the injured sites on his body.

Once he was satisfied that he'd left Blaine in as comfortable position as possible, he looked back over to his father who was still standing in the doorway. Burt had a strange look on his face that Kurt didn't recognize. His father nodded in affirmation that Kurt had done a good job comforting his friend and tilted his head towards the door as if to tell his son, 'you've done all you can… let's go.'

Kurt didn't notice the single tear that had found its way down his father's cheek. He didn't realize that Burt had become choked up while watching his only son care so much for a boy he hardly knew. That Kurt's innate ability to love and care for others had his father seeing a mirror image of his late wife from so many years ago.

Kurt padded slowly over to the door, and Burt placed a proud arm around his son's shoulders.

"You did good, son." Burt whispered, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. "You did good."

Kurt allowed himself one last glance back at Blaine's still form before he turned back to his dad and nodded silently. They walked together up the stairs and into the kitchen where Carole sat at the table with three cups of steaming hot chamomile tea.

A silent glance between Burt and Carole ended with the tiniest of headshakes from Burt. Carole looked increasingly worried.

"Still no change hey?" She said to Kurt, resting a calm hand on his shoulder and offering him a mug of tea.

Kurt sighed. "No."

The three sat down at the kitchen table and spent a few moments in silence before Carole spoke up once again.

"Kurt… I know you said he didn't want…"

"No." Kurt interrupted, not looking up from the table. He mindlessly traced over the intricate floral patterns on the tea cup with his finger, ignoring the sharp burning sensation as the heat found its way through his delicate skin.

"We can't take him to the hospital. He made me promise."

"Kurt… buddy…" Burt started, "I know you think you need to protect him, but he is not getting better. He needs to see a doctor."

The teen shook his head. "No hospitals."

"Kurt," Carole sighed, gently rubbing a hand over Kurt's bicep. "He needs treatment that I can't give him. He needs fluids; an IV, maybe even antibiotics or something if his fever hasn't gone down, and he hasn't eaten since god only knows when. If we don't get him these things, he could get even more sick. None of us want that."

Kurt considered for a moment before looking up from the table into the warm eyes of the woman standing before him.

"He was so scared, Carole."

She reached up and took Kurt's face in both of her soft hands, gently running her thumbs over his moist eyes, effectively wiping away several tears in the process.

"Honey, I know. And you've been so good with him, Kurt. But he needs someone to step in and be the adult for him. He needs help."

"I know." Kurt nodded. "I just don't want him to hate me."

Burt took this opportunity to join the conversation. He'd been sitting at the table so quietly that Kurt had temporarily forgotten that he was even present.

"Kurt, he could never hate you. He obviously trusts you more than anyone since he chose you to finally come to for help. By the way you've spoken, it sounds like he has needed help for a while now. Obviously something you've said has finally gotten through to him."

The pale boy looked down at the table once again. He'd been trying to rid his mind of the horrific thoughts and potential scenarios that Blaine may have endured, but images kept popping into his head like an old black and white film with no sound.

"Do you really think he was…r-raped?" Kurt had never said the word out loud before. Just the sound of it rolling off the tip of his tongue was enough to send a torrent of shivers up his spine and produced an acidic taste in his throat.

Carole's face dropped slightly and she took both of Kurt's hands into her own.

"I don't know for sure, sweetheart. That will have to be something that we speak with Blaine about. Only he really knows what really happened."

"He…he wouldn't let me touch him." Kurt stammered, remembering the lack of recognition that had been etched into Blaine's features that night in his bedroom. "It was like he thought I was someone else; someone who was going to hurt him."

The room was quiet. No one knew what to say.

"I would never hurt him." He sniffled.

Carole reached up and wiped off another tear that had escaped down Kurt's cheek.

"I know honey, I think he was just confused, and afraid. He was in a lot of pain."

"Who would do this to him?"

Carole released a deep breath and closed her eyes. She hadn't told Kurt that she'd known Blaine from his previous attack, and Kurt hadn't informed anyone that he'd overheard the conversation between her and Burt. Everyone was in the dark and no one knew how much information should be divulged to the other.

"I don't know sweetie." She said, leaning in and placing a gentle kiss to Kurt's forehead after smoothing out the locks of golden hair that had fallen over his eyes. 'But we'll make sure that he is taken care of from now on, okay?"

Kurt nodded and took a sip of the tea, which was now slightly chilled.

Burt stood up from the table and walked around so he was facing both Carole and Kurt.

"So buddy…" He sighed. "What do you say? Will you let us to take him to the hospital?"

"No! You can't! You promised!" A terrified voice spoke up from behind them.

A collective gasp was heard as all three heads turned at once to see a pale, weakened version of Blaine Anderson standing in the doorway to the kitchen, with a look of sheer horror written into his exhausted features. His eyes were still darkened from the bruising, but much of his face was disfigured with yellowing patches of brown and green discoloration. The wound above his eye was closed and seemingly well on its way to becoming fully healed.

He was dressed in a pair of Kurt's pajamas, which Carole had left out on the table beside his bed. The flannel pants were far too long, and the extra inches of fabric gathered at both his ankles, covering his bare feet. The matching blue and white-striped shirt hung unbuttoned over his chest, covering the sling on his left shoulder, leaving the one fabric sleeve dangling empty beside him and the other sleeve came down past his wrist, covering his right hand.

He looked a child wearing his big brother's clothes.

"Blaine!" Kurt cried, standing up immediately from where he'd been seated. "Thank god, you're awake!"

The quick movement surprised Blaine and he unconsciously shied away from the approach. The subtle movement halted Kurt in his tracks and he instantly froze where he stood, only a few feet from the other boy.

Blaine's eyes were widened and his pupils blown. His breathing rate had increased dramatically over the past several seconds.

Carole recognized the look of fear and quickly stepped between the two teenagers, assembling herself as the sole participant in Blaine's line of vision.

"Blaine, honey… its Carole." She said softly, reaching out a hand. "Is it okay if I come a little closer?"

Blaine stood motionless and unblinking for several seconds before slowly nodding.

Carole closed the gap between herself and Blaine with a few slow and calculated steps before reaching her open hand out to him once again.

"Blaine, why don't you and I go and sit in the living room and talk for a minute? Would that be alright?"

Blaine's gaze slowly moved from where he'd been staring to where Burt was standing in the middle of the kitchen and his breath caught dramatically.

"Blaine?" Carole said again. "You're safe here, okay? No one is going to hurt you anymore."

Blaine's eyes remained on Burt for several seconds, until the older man offered the boy a slight smile and a gentle nod of his head. Blaine's head cocked slightly to the side, as if unsure of whether or not to trust what his eyes had shown him. His focus slowly continued to drift to the right until the large, honest and care-filled eyes of Carole Hudson met his own.

Oh, how he missed those eyes.

Blaine gulped and nodded slowly.

"Okay sweetie. Let's go sit down. You look exhausted and I don't want you falling on the floor."

She placed one hand gently on the top of his injured shoulder and the other across his upper back and steered him into the living room.

When they reached the sofa, Carole turned around and noticed that Kurt had followed them but lingered in the doorway with dejection and sadness strewn across his face. Burt was not visible and she assumed that the eldest Hummel had wisely remained in the kitchen.

Carole was relieved to see that Blaine was able to sit on the edge of the couch, with seemingly minimal pain. The reduced soreness seemed to imply that maybe some of his physical wounds were, in fact, beginning to heal.

After Blaine appeared comfortable, Carole took a seat next to him and looked deep into his eyes.

"How are you feeling right now?" She asked softly. "Are you in any pain?"

Blaine considered her words for a moment, apparently doing a mental inventory of his body.

He shook his head slowly. "I-I'm fine."

Carole closed her eyes and released a breath.

_He's hardly fine._

"Can I have a look at your shoulder?"

After receiving a brief nod, Carole carefully removed the pajama shirt and took the sling off his left shoulder, which resulted in a gentle hiss from the boy. The bone had definitely been reduced back into its proper position, the discovery of which made Carole feel deeply relieved. The swelling was minimal and it appeared as though the range of motion in Blaine's limb was standard for his present condition. There was no circulatory compromise or deficits to the mobility in his arm or fingers, which meant that any permanent damage had likely been avoided.

Next, Carole removed the white bandages that bound Blaine's damaged ribcage. His breathing had improved significantly since her initial assessment, which meant that he was able to maintain a more natural pattern of breathing without inducing pain in his chest wall. With the past medical history that Blaine had; the trauma to his ribs, lungs and other internal organs, Carole had kept a watchful eye on his breathing rate, rhythm and depth.

After concluding that Blaine was in fact, looking a hundred times better than when she'd first examined his injuries, she re-wrapped his chest and applied the sling once again to cradle his left arm.

He'd come a long way, but he was no way ready to be considered 'healthy'.

After several moments of silence, Carole lifted her hand and gently ran a finger down his chin.

"Are you hungry?"

Blaine hesitated before shaking his head.

"Blaine, honey. You must be starving. I can have Kurt make some toast."

Much to his embarrassment, Blaine's stomach took this opportunity to release a loud growl at the mention of food. He looked up at Carole as a pink flush shone through the multicolored bruises on his cheeks.

"I thought so." She said with a smile. She moved her stare over to the boy still standing in the doorway. "Kurt sweetie, do you mind?"

Kurt, who'd been watching every moment with tense eyes, nodded; eager to finally be able to help, and turned to go back into the kitchen.

"Maybe put some peanut butter on it, please." She called out to him, and then she turned back to Blaine and lowered her voice so only he could hear and added with a wink, "If I remember correctly, you're a big fan of peanut butter."

Blaine smiled.

It wasn't much, but it was enough of a crooked grin that the skin at the corner of his eyes crinkled ever-so-slightly.

After everything that this boy had been through, Carole couldn't believe that something as simple as a little peanut butter was enough to make him smile.

Once she was certain that Kurt was out of earshot, Carole gently placed her hand on Blaine's upper back and whispered gently, while rubbing soothing circles into his tense muscles.

"I'm so glad to be able to talk to you again, Blaine. I always wondered where you ended up."

The curly-haired boy lifted his head to look Carole momentarily before returning his gaze to the floor. He seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking in a quiet, polite tone.

"I didn't know you were Finn's mom."

Carole smiled.

"And I certainly didn't realize that you were _'The Blaine'_ that Finn always rambles on about."

Blaine's head shot up and he looked at the older woman with an arched eyebrow.

"He came home from school one day and told me all about this _little guy_ that joined the football team. He said no one believed that you'd be able to play because of your… stature. But he said after try-outs, all the guys were super impressed."

"He said that?"

Carole grinned, "Of course he did, honey."

Blaine was tempted to smile once again but then remembered the ignorant comments from the locker room and his face sunk with sadness.

Carole hadn't missed the sudden change in the teen's appearance, but she didn't press the issue.

After a moment of semi-awkward silence, Carole knew that it was time that she brought up the obvious question that had been plaguing her mind.

"Blaine, honey." She started slowly, returning her hand to the boy's upper back and allowing her fingers to continue to massage the pacifying circles into his skin. "I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but I think you need to tell me what happened."

Blaine's face knit tightly, whether in sorrow or frustration, Carole couldn't be sure, and he turned away from her slightly.

"Sweetie, I can help you." Carole pleaded. "Please, just let me."

She watched as Blaine refused to make eye contact with her. He began to tremble slightly and she noted that his lower lip had developed a barely noticeable quiver.

But he didn't say a word.

Once again, Carole decided not to push the issue, afraid that she might set him off once again.

Instead, she continued to caress his back and was comforted when the boy began to lean back into her until he was gently nestled under her chin, leaning into her side. She turned her head slightly and placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head and just sat there holding him until Kurt returned with a plate stacked with four pieces of toast and a glass of milk.

He got to the doorway leading to the living room, but stopped so abruptly that several drops of milk slipped out of the glass, ran down his hand and onto the floor.

Kurt looked at Carole guiltily, unsure of whether or not he was supposed to enter the room. He noticed that Blaine had nestled up to Carole and found that he was feeling slightly jealous that he'd allowed _her_ to get so close.

Carole looked up from the couch and saw that Kurt was patiently waiting for permission to enter the room. She returned her gaze to Blaine, who was staring off into the distance, completely unaware of his surroundings.

"Blaine… is it okay if Kurt comes in now? He brought your toast."

The smell of peanut butter wafting in from the kitchen made his stomach churn and gurgle hungrily. He nodded, still not able to look away from the floor.

Kurt cautiously stepped into the living room and placed the plate of toast and glass of milk on the table in front of the sofa before taking a few steps backwards and watching curiously.

It was as though he was baiting a wild animal – like feeding a squirrel peanuts at the park to see if he could convince it to sneak closer and closer until it would eat out of his hand. Kurt stood anxiously by, waiting to see if Blaine would take a piece of toast.

The boy seemed to hesitate momentarily, before looking towards Carole. She nodded and gave him a warm smile, as though silently encouraging him to eat.

For the first time, Blaine looked up to where Kurt stood several feet away from him, only able to make eye contact momentarily before whispering, "Thank you."

Kurt's heart soared and he breathed a sigh of relief.

_He's not scared of me anymore._

"You're welcome Blaine." He said warily. "Can I get you anything else?"

Blaine shook his head slowly as his hand reached towards the plate.

"Would you like some?"

He picked up the plate and offered it towards Kurt.

Kurt, looking surprised, looked towards Carole who gave him a shrug. He looked back at Blaine, who still held the plate out to him and smiled.

"Sure, why not?"

He moved slowly towards Blaine and prudently lifted a piece of toast from the plate. He smiled in appreciation, and stood back in his original position, taking a bite of the toast.

"You can sit down if you want." Blaine offered, looking to the empty spot on the sofa next to him.

A wide grin spread across Kurt's face as he nodded and moved towards the couch and sat down gingerly next to the other teen.

Blaine took the plate and turned, offering it to Carole who smiled in awe. "No thanks honey. You go ahead."

He set the plate back in the middle of the coffee table before taking a piece of peanut butter-smothered toast, bringing it up to his lips and nibbling on the corner.

He didn't acknowledge the several pairs of eyes, watching his every move and he didn't hear the collective sigh of relief when he took a second bite.

After several minutes of silence, aside from the quiet munching of teeth on toast, Carole stood up from the couch and looked down at the pair of teenagers.

"Is it alright if I go into the kitchen and finish my tea? Are you two okay in here alone?" She aimed the question towards Blaine, testing the waters. She waited for any sign of discomfort or unease from the boy and was relieved to the core when there was none.

He nodded silently, as he took another small bite of his toast.

She smiled at Blaine and winked at Kurt before turning to leave.

"Thank you." Blaine whispered earnestly, just before she'd left the living room. "For helping me, I mean."

Carole's heart warmed, sending pangs of love circulating throughout her body.

"Of course, Blaine. You're welcome." She smiled and stared for a brief moment at the scene in front of her before turning and walking out of the room.

Several minutes of complete silence passed while Kurt sat awkwardly next to his friend, unsure of what to say or do.

His mind burned with questions that he wished he could ask, but he knew that he must remain patient and let Blaine set his own pace.

More silence ensued and Kurt continued to nibble on his piece of toast before Blaine broke the stalemate.

"I like peanut butter."

Kurt snorted.

He hadn't meant to, it just sort of happened.

Of all of the thoughts that were racing through his mind, the fact that Blaine apparently liked peanut butter was _definitely_ not one of them.

Blaine turned to Kurt looking mildly amused.

"Did you just snort?"

Kurt pinched his lips together, trying hard to contain the smile that itched at the corners of his mouth.

"No."

Blaine lifted a single bushy eyebrow, turning back towards the plate and reaching for a second piece of the toast.

"I call bullshit."

Kurt snorted again.

A smile reached across Blaine's face, this time lighting up his eyes ever-so-slightly as he bit off a corner of the toast, still refusing to look at Kurt.

"You totally snorted." He said with his mouth full. "Twice."

This time Kurt laughed out loud.

"Did not." He said between giggles. "And don't talk with your mouth full."

Blaine shrugged and continued chewing on the toast.

Kurt could hardly believe that this was the same boy who'd only days ago, arrived on his doorstep in a bloodied heap. His cries and moans during the past few nights still plagued his memory and chilled him to the bone, but the sound of Blaine's voice now warmed his soul and made him believe that everything just might be okay eventually.

He couldn't deny the fact that Blaine's apprehension to speak about his injuries and how he'd obtained them made him increasingly nervous, but he was just happy to see his friend awake and speaking to him. Even if he knew damn well that Blaine was faking it.

If Blaine just wanted to avoid the truth, so be it.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Kurt offered several minutes later.

Blaine shrugged, taking a gulp of milk.

"What have you got?"

"Well… What do you like to watch?" Kurt said, slowly standing up from the sofa and walking towards a black shelf filled with DVDs. "I have a bunch of Disney movies, some rom-coms, like _every_ musical ever produced, and…"

"Seriously?" Blaine interrupted. "Could you _be_ any more stereotypical?"

Kurt turned around to face him, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

Blaine scoffed. "That was like, the _gayest_ thing anyone has _ever_ said."

Kurt looked at him for a moment, bewildered.

_Huh?_

"Kurt, I'm just kidding." Blaine said with chuckle. "But don't you have anything… good?"

Kurt's jaw dropped.

"I'll have you know… These are _classics_!" He picked up a handful of musicals and walked back to where Blaine had remained on the couch and handed them to him.

Blaine skimmed through the titles quickly before looking up at Kurt with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, they're _classics_ alright." He joked. "That's why they're all older than the hills and filmed in black and white!"

Without thinking, Kurt snatched a DVD case and swatted it towards Blaine's shoulder. It connected briefly, sending the younger teen flinching away from the contact with a gasp.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking…"

Blaine's eyes were wide and his face had gone slightly pale as he put his right hand up in front of his face in defense, turning away from Kurt.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, taking a step back. "Are you alright?"

The teen squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take several deep breaths before unclenching his fist and lowering his hand back down to his side.

When he opened his eyes, Kurt was still standing a few feet in front of him, his face even more pale than usual with wide, fear-filled eyes.

"Blaine, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"

"I-I'm fine, Kurt." Blaine struggled. "You just surprised me."

"I should never have pretended to hit you like that, I'm such an idiot!" Kurt cried, sinking to his knees on the carpeted floor.

"We were just messing around. I had it coming." Blaine admitted. "And… you're _not_ an idiot."

Kurt looked up from where he had knelt on the floor, relieved to see that Blaine had regained his composure and sat on the couch offering him a half-smile.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can go get Carole."

"I'm fine. I'm just a little… _jumpy_."

Kurt sighed, feeling like a complete idiot. He moved back up to the couch and sat next to Blaine, not saying anything. Both teens sat silently, looking straight ahead, unknowing what to do next.

After a few minutes, Kurt spoke softly, but avoided making eye contact with the other boy.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered. "Your shoulder, I mean."

Blaine shrugged, "A little, but I've had worse."

Kurt grimaced, remembering Carole's overheard story from several nights ago.

"Can I do anything? Or get you anything?"

"I'm okay. It doesn't really hurt until I move around. Same for my ribs. There's a dull ache, but it's not bad 'til I try to stand up or something."

Kurt nodded.

"Carole really helped me out by fixing my shoulder. It was pretty messed up."

Kurt smiled. "Yeah, she's a pretty handy lady to have around."

"You're lucky to have her, Kurt. She's one of the nicest people I've ever met."

Kurt nodded once again, wondering if Blaine was going to finally share with him the fact that he knew Carole from before.

He didn't.

Blaine remained quiet for another few minutes before Kurt decided to break the silence with another question.

"How did you know how to get here?"

Blaine looked up at him. "Sorry?"

Kurt cleared his throat.

"When you showed up on the porch. How did you get here? How did you know where I lived?"

Blaine's eyes widened and his mind raced but he remained silent.

"I walked here." He murmured several moments later. He spoke so softly that Kurt nearly missed what he'd said.

"From your house? That's way across town Blaine!"

Blaine only shrugged.

"But…" Kurt continued, "How did you know how to get here? You've never been here before."

Blaine went quiet once again.

"Yes I have." He whispered even more inaudibly.

Kurt was perplexed.

_When the hell…?_

He was almost certain that Blaine had never been to his home before. He'd only been attending McKinley since the beginning of the school year. Maybe he'd come by after school with Finn or something once when Kurt wasn't at home?

"Remember the day that Karofsky slammed you into the locker and you hit your head?"

Kurt scoffed. "How could I forget? I missed the next day of school because I had such a headache."

"I saw it happen and I was really worried. You cracked your head pretty hard."

Kurt looked at Blaine. _What was he getting at?_

"Don't be creeped out by this, but I followed you home that night. I wanted to make sure you made it home alright."

Kurt was speechless.

_He did that for me?_

"Are you mad?"

Kurt, stunned, shook his head, "Why on earth would I be mad?"

"I dunno." Blaine shrugged. "Maybe you think I was stalking you or something."

Kurt let out a snort. Again.

"You're hardly a stalker Blaine."

Several minutes of silence passed.

"You snorted again."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I am so honoured by all of the amazing reviews and comments left by all of you. Your kind words are invaluable to me. I never dreamed that my story would become something that means so much to so many people that I've never even met before. **

**~: THANK YOU:~ ~:THANK YOU:~ ~:THANK YOU:~**

**Ch. 17 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow – Ch. 18 is for you. You know what I'm talking about. Your words continue to humble me. Thank you for your inspiration.**

**Fenomena – Sorry for the slow update! Hope it was worth the wait!**

**Jay Li Matsuda – More to come… I have to keep you in the dark for a little bit yet. The truth is coming soon though… I assure you!**

**Razeasha – Thank you for your editing! I appreciate it! You should be my beta!**

**Guest – Thanks for your review! I'm very happy that the YouTube video is attracting attention to my story! **

**Klainer96 – Thanks for your support! It is sad… isn't it?**

**Mzjem – Thanks SOOOO much for your reviews since you've found my story! I'm glad the YouTube video sent you my way! **

**SadieJane35 – Thank you for your kind words! More to come, I assure you! Thanks for checking out the YouTube video!**

**WritingGeek27116 – Thanks for your support! 'PERFECTION' made me laugh out loud! Ha ha - Answers are coming soon – I promise! **

**MountainsAndCoffee – I'm sorry I made you cry! I seem to be doing that to a lot of people on here… hopefully Ch. 18 lightened things up a little bit for you all!**

**Msdarque – Yep… he remembered! Yaaaaay - Blaine and Carole! Thanks again for being my un-official beta! You rock. **

**JMarieAllenPoe – Yes, Blaine has been having a rough time lately. But… as you can tell in Ch. 18 – there is some light at the end of the tunnel. He has a support system in place now… things can only go uphill from here… right? ;)**

**XOXOXOXOXOXO**

**-RH**


	19. Stars

Chapter 19

Kurt and Blaine were still nestled on the couch several minutes later. Neither boy was saying much, but it was a comfortable silence. The TV was playing in the background but no one was paying particular attention to the movie that was on the screen. Burt and Carole had remained in the kitchen, hoping to give the boys a chance to talk.

Blaine had finished eating his second piece of toast and looked down to the coffee table where the final slice lay on the plate, smothered in melted, gooey, delicious smelling peanut butter.

He didn't want to appear selfish, but he was still hungry and he didn't want the food to go to waste, nor did he want the Hummels to assume that he wasn't appreciative of their generosity.

Just as he leaned towards the table and reached his hand out to grab the remaining piece of toast, Kurt made the same move and the tips of their fingers connected ever-so-slightly, sending a jolt of electricity through the both of them.

The boys startled at the contact and stared at each other momentarily with wide eyes.

Blaine broke the silence after he awkwardly realized he'd spent the last several seconds staring directly into Kurt's soul.

"I'm so sorry!" He said, reflexively moving his body away from Kurt's. "You can have it! I didn't mean to be a…"

Kurt cut him off.

"Blaine." He said with a grin, reaching over and resting his hand on the other boy's knee. "It's okay. Honest. Go ahead."

Kurt reached down with his other hand and picked up the plate, offering it towards the curly-haired boy sitting next to him.

Blaine seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking down at the piece of toast and then up again at Kurt.

"Wanna split it with me?"

Kurt smiled. "Sure, let's do that."

He took the piece of toast and gracefully pulled it into two halves, offering Blaine the slightly larger one.

This didn't go unnoticed and Blaine smiled as he accepted his gracious offering.

"Thanks."

The pair of teens went back to their comfortable silence for several minutes, with only the sticky sound of teeth munching on peanut butter filling the air.

When Blaine finished his half, he licked the remaining peanut butter from his fingers and looked over to Kurt as though he was about to say something.

The taller teen met his gaze, his face broke into a wide grin and he let out a giggle.

Blaine's wide eyebrows knit in confusion as he ducked his head down; a heavy feeling of unease beginning to boil in his stomach.

_What is he laughing at? Did I do something wrong?_

He lifted his head and risked another peek over at Kurt, who this time, was unable to control the audible laugh that escaped his lips.

Blaine's face flushed a deep shade of scarlet, whether in embarrassment or fear he wasn't sure.

"Why are you laughing at me?" His voice sounded broken.

Kurt released a full diaphragmatic laugh now, which only fed into Blaine's insecurities.

"You've…" Kurt managed to gasp between giggles. "You've got…"

He decided to give up on words and leaned towards Blaine, reaching out a long, delicate finger.

Blaine unknowingly shied away at first, which caused Kurt to stop his movement midair, and he seemed to re-think his course of action, now with a serious look on his face. He looked directly into the eyes of the boy sitting next to him for several seconds, earning back his trust. Once he was certain that Blaine wasn't going to freak out, he leaned in closer and ran his finger down the end of Blaine's nose, wiping away a small trail of peanut butter as he went.

He then looked back at Blaine, using only his eyes to point out the peanut butter that was now on his finger as if to say 'See? No big deal…' and proceeded to stick the finger in his mouth and suck off the peanut butter with an exaggerated 'pop'.

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief.

He was fine.

Albeit slightly mortified that he'd had food stuck to his nose.

Blaine couldn't prevent the smile that found its way onto his face.

He was going to be okay now.

He looked back over to Kurt, who still had a goofy grin on his face. Blaine couldn't help but chuckle. Kurt noticed the chuckle and began to giggle once again.

Blaine reached down to where the empty plate sat on the couch cushion between them, and ran his own finger through the trail of crumbs and the small puddle of softened peanut butter that had melted its way off the toast.

He looked back up to where Kurt was sitting, watching his every move.

Kurt's left eyebrow was arched and resting significantly higher on his forehead than usual. His facial expression, mixed with the wide pair of dazzling glasz eyes staring at Blaine blatantly stated, 'You wouldn't dare…'

He dared.

Blaine suppressed a smile as he nonchalantly reached over and wiped his finger down Kurt's cheek, leaving a greasy peanut butter trail as it went.

Kurt gasped in disbelief and his jaw dropped.

"As if you just did that!" He exclaimed, wiping his own fingers down his cheek in attempt to remove the peanut butter, which in actuality, led to the emergence of a larger smear. "Do you know how oily that is on my skin?"

It took all of Blaine's willpower not to smile. He casually looked around the room in mock confusion, before returning his gaze to Kurt.

"Who me?" He shrugged. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about!"

The resulting moment of silence was shattered when Blaine could no longer contain his smile and a snigger escaped his lips.

Kurt's attempt of looking irritated was also ruined and he too burst into a fit of silly giggles.

Soon enough, both boys found themselves giggling incessantly. Blaine was forced to hold his good arm around his ribcage to stop the throbbing pain. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed – let alone laughed to the point where the muscles in his jaw and cheeks began to ache.

Carole returned to the living room after hearing the chorus of giggles and was stunned to see both boys sitting on the couch laughing together. It amazed her that after all that had happened recently, the boys were comfortable enough with each other that they could share a good laugh.

"I see that the toast is all gone." She said as she walked over to the table. "Did you like the peanut butter Blaine?"

Carole was bemused when both boys began to giggle once again at her words.

She'd obviously missed something.

Carole reached down to pick up the blue plate from the couch cushion between the pair of teens when Blaine suddenly jumped to his feet, which elicited a wince and a tiny groan. It was as though he'd temporarily forgotten about his injuries but instantly regretted it, based on the look of pain written into his dark features.

"I'll take it to the kitchen!" He grimaced with a pained gasp he was unable to conceal. "I'll clean up! You've done too much already! I can't…"

"Blaine!" Carole interrupted, putting a hand on the top of his shoulder. "It's okay honey! I'll get it! Please just sit down and relax."

"But…"

"No buts." She said with a smile. "You need to take it easy for a little while." She picked up the plate and looked back down at the youth, who was still standing up next to the table looking guilty. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she offered him another gentle smile and gently massaged soothing circles into the tense muscles of his shoulder.

"Is it okay if I steal Kurt for a little bit? I need his help with something in the kitchen."

Blaine looked concerned for a fraction of a second before his entire demeanor seemed to relax and he released a loud breath and nodded.

Carole nodded as she removed her fingers from his shoulder and turned to step out of the living room. "I'll have him back in a jiffy. You just try and relax a little, okay?"

He nodded again and watched as Carole and Kurt headed towards the kitchen.

Before he left, Kurt turned back around and flashed Blaine a brilliant smile that made the depths of Blaine's stomach grow warm.

Smiling, Blaine gingerly bent over and picked up his glass of milk from the table and took a sip. He walked between the couch and the coffee table to the middle of the tiny living room and for the first time, looked around at his surroundings. The Hummel home was not large, nor extravagant by any stretch of his imagination, but it certainly had one thing that his home had never had.

Warmth.

There were no marble floors, concrete support pillars, expensive-looking tapestries or priceless works of art.

The colors of the Hummel's modest living room, which Kurt had no doubt helped decorate, emitted a friendly, yet gentle atmosphere. There was a beautiful black piano tucked away in the corner of the room which looked untouched, but still remained spot-free from dust and clutter. Photos hung in frames throughout the walls, most featuring a wide-eyed Kurt in various stages of growth, and several of a beautiful blonde-haired woman with the same big blue eyes and slightly turned up nose.

Elizabeth.

It was completely apparent that Kurt got his stunning looks from his mother. Her eyes were just as big and beautiful and were filled with the same perpetual emotion as her son. Her smile was warm and Blaine noticed that it too was the same smile which belonged to the boy in the kitchen. Her grin spread wide across her face and her thin lips seemed to delicately hide her teeth inside her mouth. Even the woman's eyes crinkled in the corners the same way that Kurt's did when he smiled his most genuine smile. Blaine couldn't help but allow his own smile to appear at the resemblance of Kurt and the woman in the photo.

"He looks just like her, doesn't he?"

The deep voice from behind him startled Blaine and he turned around quickly. His trembling fingers slipped from the glass of milk he'd been holding and he watched in horror as it fell from his hand, clipping the edge of the coffee table before crashing to the floor in many pieces, with the remaining milk spraying across the carpet.

Blaine panicked.

"Oh my god! I'm s-so sorry. I-I didn't… I'm such a…"

He noticed Burt Hummel staring at him from the other side of the living room with wide eyes and the panic reached another level entirely.

"I'm so s-sorry sir. I-I'll clean it up… I-I didn't mean…" He stuttered, reaching down to pick up the shards of broken glass with a trembling hand. Blaine was so flustered that he wasn't paying attention and his hand slipped over a large piece of the broken glass, slicing through the delicate skin on the inside of his palm causing him to retract his arm with a hiss.

To his horror, he looked down to see a steady flow of crimson dripping from the laceration in his palm which then poured down his wrist and soaked into the carpet intermingling with the spilled milk.

Blaine's stomach plummeted even further when he realized that the red blood would likely stain the Hummel's pristine beige carpet.

_Fuck. I ruined it. I ruin everything._

Blaine looked up with terrified eyes when out of his peripheral he could see Burt rushing towards him.

He dropped to the floor in a heap, clenched his bleeding fist and brought it up to protect his face instinctively, drops of blood still streaming down his arm and soaking into the sleeve of Kurt's pajama top he was wearing.

He squeezed his eyes closed and waited for the hits to come.

The kicks. The angry words.

But they didn't come.

Blaine hesitated for several moments, still breathing heavily, before he pulled his arm away from his face and opened his eyes.

When he saw the horrified look in Burt Hummel's eyes, Blaine instantly knew that he'd misinterpreted the situation. He sheepishly forced himself to sit up from where he had been crouched down next to the coffee table and held his still-bleeding hand close to his chest, resting it on top of the sling which held his other arm in place. The blood that had already seeped into the sleeve of the pajama top had likely ruined it already, so what harm could a few more blood stains possibly cause at this point?

Blaine looked up again to where Burt stood motionless several feet in front of him. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were wide, in shock, guilt and if Blaine wasn't mistaken, pity. He held both of his hands up in front of him, indicating that he meant no harm, and Blaine noticed that the older man had taken several steps in the opposite direction to where he had been cowering on the floor.

Blaine and Burt kept solid eye contact for almost a full minute, neither saying a word. Blaine's face expressed curiosity and confusion and Burt's showing only sorrow and somehow, offering the boy kneeling in front of him, pure, honest trust.

After what felt like an eternity, Burt offered Blaine a tiny smile but maintained his distance and neutral disposition.

The muscles in Blaine's legs were beginning to burn from the awkward position he was still crouching in, but he daren't move.

Burt noticed that blood was still actively seeping out from the wound in Blaine's hand and decided that approaching the terrified teenager would be a necessary risk.

"Blaine?" He spoke softly, only moving forward a single step. "Are you okay?"

Blaine waited a moment, looking directly into Burt's eyes once again for several moments before slowly nodding his head once.

"It looks like you did quite a number on that hand. Can I take a look at it?"

Blaine's eyes widened momentarily as he watched the older man step another pace closer to his position. Burt stood mere three feet from him and slowly extended his hand out, with his open palm facing upwards.

Blaine hesitated for another moment before he nodded slowly and cautiously extended his hand towards the other man. His fist was still clenched tightly, but dark red blood was oozing from between his fingers.

Burt slowly removed an old-looking blue and red table runner from the coffee table and held it out towards Blaine's extended hand.

"I'm going to use this to stop the bleeding, okay?"

Panic returned to Blaine's eyes and he fell back onto his rear end. "No! You shouldn't touch it!"

Burt's eyebrows furrowed. "It's okay buddy, I just want to help you out."

"But…" It sounded as though Blaine was about to say something but then caught himself and remained silent.

"It's alright. I've patched Kurt up lots of times. I'm not scared of a little blood."

"But I'm…"

"It's okay Blaine. Let me help." Burt's voice was soft and gentle as he took another small step towards the curly-haired youth.

Blaine looked down to his hand, seemingly thinking to himself before he looked back up to Burt and nodded slowly.

Two more cautious steps brought Burt close enough to the teenager that he could reach the injured limb. He slowly knelt down and carefully took the boy's clenched hand in his own and couldn't help but notice how violently Blaine's fingers were trembling.

"Can you open your fingers?"

Not a single muscle in Blaine's face twitched as he unclenched his fist, resulting in several more drops of blood landing on the carpet.

An angry red gash stretched from the fleshy part between Blaine's thumb and pointer finger and across his palm. It didn't appear deep, but was wide enough that the bleeding had still not subsided on its own. Burt quickly pressed a corner of the table runner over the wound and was surprised that Blaine did not protest, or even wince, from the added pain. The boy simply stared at him with wide, caution-filled eyes.

Burt dabbed at the wound for several more minutes, thinking silently to himself when Blaine unexpectedly spoke up.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, and then he added. "For bleeding on your carpet, I mean."

Burt froze and looked at the boy.

_Seriously?_

"And for spilling the milk."

Blaine's head dropped in obvious shame, causing Burt's heart to shatter into a million tiny pieces not dissimilar to the shards of broken glass lying on the floor next to his knees. He sighed and continued dabbing away at the wound.

"Well." Burt exclaimed, after the majority of the blood had been wiped from Blaine's fingers and arm, "You know what they say about crying over spilled milk."

Blaine looked up at the older man with a puzzled expression but said nothing.

"Don't."

A smile broke out over Burt's face but lasted only a second when he realized that Blaine hadn't appreciated his attempted humor. The boy continued to just stare at him as though he expected Burt to reach out and shake him.

Burt removed the cloth and looked at the wound once again.

"I don't think it will need stitches, but we'll have to rinse it out good and wrap it up nice and tight." Burt explained, getting to his feet with a groan. "Why don't you come with me into the bathroom and we'll…"

A sharp gasp interrupted him and Burt immediately knew that he'd said something wrong. He silently cursed his carelessness. He didn't need to look at the boy to know that he had tensed completely up and had likely turned white.

"Actually," He amended, "Why don't you hang out here and I'll go raid the first aid kit? Carole just restocked it the other day."

Burt was relieved to see that Blaine's eyes had returned to their normal size and he'd relaxed significantly so he decided to test the waters.

"Good thing I know a hot nurse, hey?" He said with a wink.

The corners of Blaine's mouth twitched and he lowered his gaze to the floor, trying his hardest not to smile.

Burt grinned and turned to walk out of the room.

"I'll be right back buddy."

He quickly darted out of the living room and into the kitchen where Kurt and Carole sat at the table, having a hushed conversation.

"How's it going in there?" Carole asked. "We thought we heard a crash?"

"We're good!" Burt announced happily. "I just gotta go find the first aid kit."

Both Kurt and Carole looked at each other in concern.

Burt leaned over and gave Carole a quick kiss on the cheek and ruffled Kurt's hair with his fingers.

"Don't worry, we're making progress!" He said and quickly padded out of the kitchen. "He's even letting me touch him now."

A moment of awkward silence passed before Burt appeared back in the doorway to the kitchen, travelling backwards and not making eye contact with either Kurt or Carole.

"That…uh… that didn't come out right…" He stammered then continued down the hallway to the bathroom.

Carole and Kurt exchanged another glance and both broke out into a fit of giggles.

* * *

Burt returned to the living room several minutes later, carrying a handful of bandages, antiseptic creams and damp cloth. He noticed that Blaine still remained in the exact same position on the floor as when he'd left; the table runner, now completely saturated with blood, remained clenched in his right fist.

"How'd we do buddy?" He asked quietly, as he slowly approached the boy and knelt down beside him. "Did it stop bleeding?"

Blaine shrugged, but didn't answer. He raised his hand up slightly, offering it to the older man and implying his consent to have it examined. His eyes looked cautious, but there was a tiny speck of trust evident within the hazel orbs.

Burt removed the bloodied cloth and tossed it aside, and gently began to pat the wound with the damp cloth. Blaine remained expressionless throughout the procedure. Even though Burt was dabbing at the laceration with only the slightest pressure, he found it hard to believe that the kid hadn't even flinched. The wound wasn't terribly deep, but it was wide and it had to be hurting.

Burt picked up a small vial of antiseptic solution and poured it gingerly over the wound. He felt Blaine retract his hand only slightly and heard a tiny hiss escape the boy's lips.

"Jesus, you're tough, kiddo. I'd have been crying like a baby by now." Burt said with a chuckle.

He looked to where Blaine remained unmoving. The boy just sat there, vigilantly watching Burt's every move. It was as though he was hollow, empty even, and Burt couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside the boy's head.

After Burt insured that the bleeding was slowed, he applied a gob of antiseptic cream and a bulky dressing to the inside of Blaine's hand and wrapped it securely with a roll of white gauze. It wasn't pretty but he was confident that it would do the trick.

"Good as new." Burt exclaimed, as he rolled back onto his feet. "See buddy? With a little help, everything can be fixed right up."

He didn't miss the tiny movement of Blaine's head, and the moment that they made eye contact, Burt knew that Blaine hadn't missed the hidden meaning of his statement.

Burt cleaned up the rest of the broken glass as Blaine sat on the couch, still silently studying the older man's features. He didn't appear as big and menacing as he had previously, for which Blaine was eternally grateful. In contrast, the bald man had relatively gentle features; every now and again he'd make eye contact with Blaine, giving him a friendly smile or a quick wink. But it was his eyes that Blaine noticed most prevalently. He'd never detected before, but Burt Hummel's eyes seemed to emit an air of comfort and trust. Blaine wasn't sure how, but the older man's face seemed to present an image of kindness and was filled with hope. He also noticed that Burt's eyes were the same color of green that matched the tiny specks which resided within Kurt's brilliant glasz orbs when he smiled his widest smile.

When Burt returned once again to the living room after disposing of the broken glass and first aid supplies, he clumsily flopped down onto the lazy boy chair and grabbed for the remote control.

"I think there's a game on tonight. Wanna watch the end of it with me?"

Blaine settled himself onto the edge of the couch and nodded, not making eye contact. He was holding his bandaged hand on his chest, once again, settling it on top of his slinged left arm.

"Are you in any pain? I can get Carole to find some painkillers for you."

"No, thank you sir. I'm alright."

The quietly spoken words surprised Burt as he looked over from where he'd been watching the highlights of the evening game.

Blaine was staring off into the general direction of the television but did not seem to be focused on the game specifically.

Burt nodded towards the screen. "Do you watch many games?"

Their glances once again met and Blaine hesitated before opening his mouth to answer. "No sir. I don't have… much time to watch TV."

"Oh, okay." Burt replied, not wanting to press the kid into answering any more questions.

Progress was being made.

Carole and Kurt took this opportunity to return to the living room. Carole made her way to the rocking chair in the east corner and Kurt crossed the floor and moved towards the couch, glancing down briefly when he saw the drops of blood on the carpet and the bandages wrapped around Blaine's hand.

"Are you okay?" He asked slowly, with concern-filled eyes.

Blaine nodded once, and shamefully lowered his eyes ever-so-slightly. "I dropped my milk."

Kurt immediately noticed the missing table runner from the oak coffee table and grinned. He sat down next to Blaine and leaned in close and whispered. "I've been trying to convince him to get rid of that god-awful table cloth for months!" He pulled away, still smiling, and leaned back into the opposite arm of the couch, sending Blaine a mischievous wink, which earned him a tiny grin from the other teenager.

The four sat quietly in the living room for several minutes before Blaine surprised everyone and spoke out loud.

"W-where's Finn? Doesn't he live here too?"

Burt and Carole exchanged nervous glances and Kurt swallowed slowly before answering in his best neutral tone.

"He's staying at Puck's this week. They're working on a school project."

It sounded rehearsed.

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he didn't speak.

"He knows not to say anything." Kurt added moments later when the tension in the room was still thick.

Blaine's face went slightly pale as he looked around the room and found three sets of eyes burning into him.

He nodded, feeling warm underneath the collar of the pajama top and returned his stare to the television screen.

At the end of the last quarter, Burt stood up from his chair and stretched his arms.

"Well…" He said with a yawn. "I'm gonna hit the sack. Early day at the garage tomorrow."

Blaine's eyes widened.

_It was evening? He was so disorientated when he'd waken up that he never even bothered to look for a clock. How long had he been asleep?_

Carole noticed Blaine's sudden discomfort and stood up from the rocking chair.

"Are you okay honey?"

Blaine nodded, looking up at her with sad, questioning eyes.

"It's okay sweetie, you're welcome to sleep here again. Kurt will get a new pair of pajamas for you to change into."

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed.

_Again?_

"Is it okay if we watch a movie? We didn't get to finish… earlier." Kurt piped up.

"Buddy, you'd better get to bed. You have school in the morning." Burt spoke softly, but with a firm tone.

"What?" Kurt exclaimed. "I'm not going to school. I need to stay here…with Blaine."

Burt's eyes closed momentarily. He'd been waiting for this.

"Kurt, you need to go to school tomorrow. You've missed enough already."

"But…"

"No buts." Burt interjected. "Blaine will be fine here. Carole is not working tomorrow."

Blaine's face reddened. They were talking about him as though he were a child that needed babysitting. He didn't want to be an inconvenience to anyone. He hadn't even been expecting to stay the night. _Again_, apparently.

"I…" He started but was cut off by Kurt, who'd stood from the couch and had his arms outstretched.

"Dad, come on… it's Friday anyway… what's one more day?"

Blaine's face lost all its color.

_Friday._

"Kurt, you need to go to school. You've missed most of this week already by staying here."

_It's Friday tomorrow?_

"But, dad…"

_How can it already be Friday?_

"Not up for discussion Kurt."

_Oh fuck. I think I'm gonna…_

Blaine wavered slightly, which was not noticed by anyone but Carole, who rushed to his side.

"Blaine? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Blaine stood up quickly from the couch and looked around quickly at the three faces which had all turned to look at him in concern.

"How long have I been here?"

Another worried glance passed between Burt and Carole, not going unnoticed by the boy standing in the middle of the living room.

"What day is it?"

Burt closed his eyes. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Blaine, sweetie…" Carole started. "Why don't you sit down for a minute?"

Blaine's breathing picked up and he could feel the anxiety begin to rise in his chest. His ribs began to ache with the increased effort to inhale an adequate volume of oxygen.

"Can someone please just tell me what's going on?" His voice cracked, making him sound very young and incredibly scared as tears materialized at the corners of his eyes.

Burt moved several steps to his left and gingerly laid a hand on the boy's trembling shoulder.

"Blaine. It's Thursday night. You've been with us for three days."

The heavy feeling of unease boiling in the pit of Blaine's stomach reached a crescendo.

_No. That can't be._

"You came here on Monday evening sweetie, don't you remember?" Carole asked, also walking towards Blaine.

Blaine shook his head. "It…c-can't be… I'm…Oh my god, he's going to kill me…"

A wave of dizziness washed over him and he wobbled slightly on his feet.

"Easy there buddy." Burt cooed, reaching an arm around the boy's thin frame. "Are you okay?"

Blaine blinked several times, trying to regain his composure. The panic in his chest had reached an all-time high and he suddenly felt the urge to either vomit or dart out of the room.

Or possibly both.

He pulled away from the arm that was slung loosely around his shoulders and stepped away from the frightened trio.

"I have to go." He said numbly, looking off into the distance.

"What?" Kurt asked, shocked. "You can't go! You're still… hurt."

"He's gonna…" Blaine whimpered to no one in particular. "Oh god… What did I do?"

Blaine brought his bandaged hand up and covered his face. He grabbed a handful of hair and shook his head quickly, causing silver dots to speckle into his vision. He closed his eyes briefly to control the nausea before opening them once again and turning to leave the living room.

Kurt looked at his dad for reinforcement, but was met with an apprehensive stare which didn't pacify his unease.

"Dad?" He squeaked. "He c-can't leave… Please tell him that he can't leave."

Burt instantly looked to Carole who simply shrugged. "We can't let him go back there Burt…"

Burt grimaced and took off after the boy.

"Blaine, buddy?" He said, as he caught up to the boy who was dazedly padding through the house, trying to find the front entrance. "Wait up, Blaine. I just want to talk."

Blaine ignored the voice behind him and continued through the kitchen until he saw the front door. Just as he reached out to turn the door handle Burt caught him and laid a firm hand onto his shoulder.

Blaine flinched away violently and threw himself against the door, sending a current of pain screaming throughout his torso.

"Don't!" He cried. "Please don't touch me."

Burt quickly removed his hand and took a step back.

Kurt and Carole remained in the doorway to the kitchen, both with tears streaming down their cheeks.

"Blaine, you need to listen to me." Burt said firmly. "You're safe here. No one can hurt you anymore."

Blaine remained plastered against the door, his hand still covering his face. "He's gonna be so mad at me…"

The terrified whimpers sent chills up Burt's spine.

"Blaine. Open your eyes and look at me. It's going to be okay. You're safe here." He reaffirmed.

Blaine shook his head, but this time opened his eyes wide before quickly turning and fumbling with the door handle.

Blaine managed to get the door open and slip through before Burt could regain a grip on his shoulder. He'd taken several steps out the door into the cool October evening before Burt caught up to him.

"Blaine, its freezing out here and you're not wearing proper clothes, let's get back inside." Burt said, nodding his head towards the house.

"No. I have to g-go." He shrugged away once again from the contact. "Please just let me go."

Burt's heart shattered. He couldn't very well hold the boy against his will, but the temperature had dropped dramatically and was only a few degrees above freezing. There was no way that he was going to let this terrified boy stumble off haphazardly on his own, in barefeet and wearing blood-covered pajamas.

"Blaine, I will drive you anywhere you want to go, but please just come back in the house and get dressed."

That did the trick.

Blaine slowed to a stop near the end of the driveway but remained facing away from the Hummel home.

Burt approached Blaine carefully and walked around until he was standing in front of him. The boy was shaking, due most likely to fear rather than the cold. Burt made eye contact with him for several seconds before taking him into his arms and holding onto him for all he was worth.

Blaine started sobbing as he felt the man tighten his grip and run a large, callused hand through his messy dark curls.

"It's gonna be okay buddy. We're gonna get you through this." He whispered softly.

The pair stood in the front driveway for several minutes until Burt loosened his grip on the boy and took a step back.

"Let's get back into the house and get you warmed up, okay?"

Tears still flowed readily down his cheeks, but Blaine looked up at the taller man and gave him a weak nod.

Burt walked next to him with a strong arm around his upper back as they made their way up the steps and in through the front door.

The pair was met by an emotional Kurt, who dove in and took Blaine into his arms without warning. Burt winced initially, unsure of how Blaine would react to such unexpected contact but breathed a sigh of relief when Blaine sunk into the embrace.

Burt sighed and pulled the door closed behind him as he looked up at Carole. Tear tracks were still evident on her flushed face and her eyes were red and swollen. They gave each other a quick nod in affirmation before the two boys separated from their embrace.

"Come on Blaine, let's get you warmed up." Carole said, reaching out a hand.

Blaine tentatively stretched out his bandaged hand and placed it inside hers. She led him through the home into the main floor bathroom where a spare set of clothes and a large orange towel lay folded neatly on the sink.

"Why don't you have a nice shower and when you get out, I'll have a cup of tea ready for you."

Blaine looked at the towel and gave a brief nod.

"Do you want me to help you get undressed?"

He shook his head quickly with wide eyes.

"Okay, how about I help you off with the sling and the bandages? We can re-do them when you're done."

Blaine looked at Carole thoughtfully before giving her silent nod.

Slowly, she removed the sling and helped him out of the pajama shirt, which she tossed into the laundry basket by the bathroom door. His chest was still speckled in bruises and the white bandages that had been binding his ribs had slid down his thin torso just slightly. She removed the bandages and examined the smooth skin that lay below. Many of the lacerations had healed slightly, but there were some that looked red and swollen. She'd need to apply some antiseptic cream to prevent the wounds from becoming further infected. Blaine's left shoulder was far less swollen today, which she was happy to see, but was still slightly discolored and felt warm.

When he was left in nothing but the pajama pants, Carole turned on the shower and adjusted the water to warm and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Just holler if you need anything, okay sweetheart?"

Blaine nodded slowly without making eye contact.

Saddened, Carole turned to leave the bathroom, but then turned around once more.

"Blaine?"

This time his eyes looked up to meet hers and Carole's chest ached when she saw the unmistakable manifestation of guilt and embarrassment written on his face.

"I'm glad you came back." She whispered with a sad smile.

When she didn't receive a reply, she turned around and slowly pulled the door closed behind her as she left, with a new chain of tears streaming down her cheeks.

* * *

The kettle had boiled and the tea was in the pot steeping. Not much had been said since Carole's reappearance into the kitchen. Everyone was glad that Burt had been able to convince Blaine to come back into the house but no one was sure what they should do next.

"Dad, we can't let him leave." Kurt suddenly broke the silence.

"I agree buddy, but if he doesn't want to stay here, we can't force him to." Burt yawned.

"We have to be careful with him right now."Carole added. "I've never seen him so… fragile."

Burt nodded.

Silence ensued for another few moments before Kurt spoke up again.

"Can't we call family services or something?"

"We should have from the start." Burt sighed. "I'm afraid he needs more help than we can give him."

Carole hated to admit it, but Burt had a point. Whatever it was that was going on in the Anderson home, it needed to be reported. She'd considered it several times during the few days that Blaine had been recovering upstairs, but she'd seen how 'the system' worked many times before. She knew that she _should_ call family services, but she just couldn't bring herself to hand the poor boy over to a person in a fancy suit that didn't know his history or current situation. Although it went against everything she was trained for, she cared for the boy too much to watch him fall through the cracks.

Again.

Carole had drifted off into her own mind for several minutes before she was brought back to reality as Burt spoke up.

"If he's been… abused… like that…" He hesitated. "Shouldn't he have seen a doctor?"

Carole nodded sadly and sighed.

"Yes. Of course." She sighed again. "I didn't do a thorough examination, but it seems fairly evident that there has been…" She looked at Kurt briefly before deciding to continue. "…penetration, but it's difficult to assess the damage that occurred without his permission. I didn't want to lose his trust Burt."

Burt took the trembling woman into his arms and held her tight. "I know honey. I know."

They sat quietly for another moment before Burt sighed. "I know that no one wants to bring this up, but Carole… what if…" He gulped, choosing his words carefully. "What if that bastard didn't use protection? Could he get… sick…or anything?"

Kurt turned green and had to sit down in the kitchen chair.

Carole lifted her head from Burt's chest, looked up at him, and solemnly nodded.

No one said a word.

After what felt like a lifetime later, Burt yawned once more and looked at his watch. It was a quarter to two in the morning. "Shouldn't he be done by now?"

Carole sniffled and nodded. "I'll go check on him." She silently pulled away from Burt's strong embrace and padded out of the kitchen.

Burt released a loud sigh and looked over to where Kurt was seated a high-backed chair next to the kitchen table. Kurt's eyes were red and puffy from crying, he was more pale than usual and tear tracks remained on his porcelain cheeks. He looked exhausted.

"Are you doing okay, buddy?" Burt asked quietly.

Kurt looked up at his father as new tears threatened to fall. He couldn't speak. It felt as though his throat was constricted and his chest ached.

He was so afraid. So sad. So angry.

"How could his own father do this to him? He's so scared of him, dad." Kurt barely got the words out before he dissolved into tears once again.

Burt stepped over and took his sobbing son into his arms, holding him tight.

"Shhhhh…" He soothed. "It's going to be okay. We're going to get him through this, alright?"

Kurt nestled his face into his father's chest, still sobbing. "H-he can't go back there."

Burt closed his eyes. He agreed completely. Now it was just a matter of convincing Blaine.

"I know buddy, I know."

They remained in this position for several minutes before Carole rushed back into the kitchen carrying the bloodied sling that Blaine had been wearing.

"He's gone!" She cried.

Kurt pushed himself away from his father and looked at Carole's panic-stricken eyes.

"What? What do you mean he's gone?"

"He's not there! The shower was running but when I tried to talk to him through the door, he never answered, so I peeked in to make sure he was okay, but he was gone! He changed into your clothes and he left!" She rambled.

"Damn it!" Burt cursed, turning towards the front entrance, as if asking himself how he'd missed seeing the boy slip out.

"The window was open." Carole explained sadly. "I think he climbed out the damn window."

"W-why would he sneak out?" Kurt was beginning to panic.

"He was scared." Burt whispered to no one in particular. "He was scared we wouldn't let him leave."

Burt suddenly looked up from the floor and quickly walked over to the front door, where he picked up his grease-covered ball cap and denim jacket from the coat rack and grabbed his keys from the hook on the wall.

"W-where are you going?" Carole stuttered.

"I have to find him."

Kurt jumped up from his place on the kitchen chair and grabbed a heavy sweater from the coat rack, ready to follow his father out the door.

"I'm going with you."

Burt looked at his son for a moment, before he glanced over to Carole, who gave him a knowing nod.

"Even if I said no, you'd still sneak out and look for him by yourself wouldn't you?"

Kurt nodded.

"Dress warm and bring some extra coats for when we find him."

Kurt shot his father an appreciative glance and quickly grabbed several extra jackets, a blanket from the couch and a warm pair of boots.

"Let's go."

* * *

The pair drove around the block several times, without any luck.

Burt turned up the heat in the car and rubbed his hands together while they waited at a red light.

"It's really cooled off out there." He thought aloud, glancing out the window into the darkness which engulfed the neighborhood. "I hope that kid went somewhere warm."

Kurt frowned, his eyes frantically looking out the window.

_Where the hell is he?_

Burt circled the car around the neighborhood once again, and then widened the search by travelling a block further with each loop around. They looked in back alleys, bus stops and even inside several late night cafes.

But they found neither hide nor hair of Blaine.

It was close to four in the morning when Kurt had an epiphany while rubbing the sleep from his dreary eyes.

"His house." He said, looking alert.

"Huh?" Burt said, slowing the car. "What about his house?"

"Do you think he'd try to walk all the way home?"

Burt shrugged. "I suppose it's possible. I mean, it's not like he had any money for a cab and all the buses have stopped running for the night."

Kurt looked at his dad with a cautious stare. "I know where he lives."

Hundreds of questions immediately flooded Burt's brain. But he knew that finding Blaine was far more important than interrogating his son at this exact moment.

"Where to?"

* * *

They pulled up in front of the same grey two-story house that Kurt had been to only days prior and Burt turned off the ignition.

"This is it?" He said, pointing to the direction of the large, well-maintained home.

Kurt nodded.

"Well…" Burt hesitated briefly. "I'm going to go pay this Mr. Anderson an early morning visit."

He unbuckled his seatbelt and was about to climb out of the car when he heard Kurt unbuckling his own.

"Sorry buddy… this time, I'm drawing the line. Stay in the car."

Burt's stern tone told Kurt that there was no arguing this time and he immediately re-buckled his seatbelt. He gave his dad a concerned glance and swallowed the large lump in his dry throat.

"Please just bring him back."

Burt nodded and gave his son a loving squeeze on the shoulder before climbing out of the car and walking up the sidewalk to the darkened home.

Kurt watched as his dad stepped through the wrought-iron gate and made his way up the steps until he stood on the front porch. Burt quickly glanced back towards the car where Kurt gave him a quick wave and he stepped forward and pressed the doorbell.

Nothing.

After several minutes of silence, Kurt watched as Burt pressed a meaty finger to the button again.

Nothing.

Kurt's heart sank as he watched his father turn around and shrug his shoulders.

As a final attempt, Burt pressed the button one more time, and waited for several minutes before a chill ran up his spine from the cool breeze and he decided to call it a loss. He turned around and started walking slowly back towards the car in defeat. He had just stepped off the curb when Kurt jumped out of the passenger door of the car in a panic.

"There's a light on! Someone turned a light on!"

Burt turned around to see that a window upstairs had indeed been illuminated. Both he and Kurt rushed back over the sidewalk and up the steps to the house where Kurt anxiously pressed the doorbell once more.

Both their eyes lit up as they heard feet apparently coming down the steps inside the house, walking towards the front door.

Kurt held his breath and Burt chewed on the inside of his cheek when the light on the front porch flashed on.

"Who's there?" A gruff sounding voice echoed from inside the home. "What do you want?"

Burt snapped out of his trance and leaned into the door. "Sir, my name is Burt Hummel. Can you please open the door so we can talk?"

"I don't know any Hummels. Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes sir." Burt continued. "I need to talk to you about your son."

Silence.

Burt and Kurt exchanged a worried glance until they heard the metal 'click' of the lock on the inside of the door opening. The door was opened only an inch and Burt could see that the chain lock remained secured as a pair of eyes peeked through the crack.

"What about my son? Who are you?"

Kurt took this opportunity to step closer to the door. He cleared his throat and spoke in the most well-mannered voice he could manage.

"Sir, I'm a friend of your sons. Is he home yet?"

The eyes peeking out from the crack in the door grew wide and a soft gasp was heard.

"He hasn't been home in… a while." The man spoke brusquely.

Kurt sighed and looked at his dad, who shrugged.

"We're just worried about him. It's very cold out tonight and he wasn't dressed appropriately."

The man said nothing.

Burt could feel his chest growing tight as anger bubbled inside of him. It was apparent that this man couldn't give two shits about his son being lost outside in the cold, all alone.

He looked at Kurt and shrugged once again. "I guess he's not here. Let's keep looking."

Kurt winced. He'd really hoped that they would find Blaine at home. It may not have been optimal, but at least he wasn't out in the cold. He turned back to look at the eyes still peeking out from inside the home and sighed.

"Fine. But if Blaine comes home tonight, please just have him call me and let me know that he's okay." Kurt begged.

"Yes." Burt added, digging through his coat pocket. "Here is my card. We have the tire shop over on the other end of town. The number is on here."

The door slammed closed before Burt could offer the man the business card.

Shocked, he turned to look at Kurt with wide eyes before the rustling of a chain got his attention.

The door opened up completely and a man Burt estimated to be in his mid-fifties stood in the doorway, dressed in a green and blue robe.

No one really knew what to say.

"Sir?" Burt asked guardedly.

The man stood staring at the pair on his doorstep for several moments before he looked back to Burt and narrowed his eyes.

"Who's Blaine?"

Kurt's jaw dropped.

_What?_

Burt's jaw clenched.

_Is he serious? Is this prick actually denying that the poor kid is even his own son?_

The man narrowed his eyes and looked back towards Burt once again.

"Are you two from the army?"

Burt's head snapped up.

_Whoa, what?_

"I'm sorry?" Burt was at a loss.

The man looked over to Kurt. "You said you were friends with my son. Is that where you met him? Have they found him?"

Kurt was perplexed.

_What the fuck is going on?_

"Mr. Anderson, I'm not sure what you…"

The man straightened up and put his hands up in front of Kurt, effectively silencing him.

"Who's Mr. Anderson? My name is James. James Fisher."

_Oh shit._

Both Burt and Kurt must have looked dumbstruck because the man, Mr. Fisher, looked at both of them suspiciously. "Are you sure you have the right house? I don't know a _Blaine_, or a _Mr._ _Anderson_. I think you may be mistaken."

"Sir, I'm so sorry." Kurt started. "I dropped him off at this house one night. I-I just assumed it was his."

Burt couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_This was not Blaine's house? This man was not his father? Why would he lie about where he lived? And where the hell was he now?_

"Mister… Fisher, was it?" Burt started, "I apologize for the confusion and for waking you up at such an ungodly hour. It seems as though we have been misled."

The man's eyes lowered, "So you don't know my Jamie then?"

Burt's heart sunk even lower in his chest when he understood what the other man had assumed.

"No sir, I'm sorry but we don't know your son. It was a mistake, us coming here."

"They haven't heard from him in a few weeks. They said they'd let us know as soon as they'd heard anything." The man's voice sounded devastated.

Kurt finally realized what had happened and he fought off the urge to turn around and run back to the car.

What a horrible turn of events.

He felt sick to his stomach and he barely heard the awkward conversation that was being spoken between his father and this poor man.

Several minutes later, Kurt felt this father tug the corner of his sleeve. "Let's go Kurt. Let's go home."

They travelled home in silence and Carole met them at the door with hopeful eyes. All hope was dashed when they walked in the door without Blaine.

She and Burt exchanged sad glances and Burt shook his head.

Kurt slumped back into the kitchen chair, rubbing his exhausted eyes. It was now after five in the morning, but there was no way he could sleep.

"What are we gonna do?" He asked weakly.

Carole and Burt moved towards him and Carole laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know honey." She cried. "I just don't know."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the delay everyone in updating this story. Life happened. Thanks for your continued support!**

**Ch. 18 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – Thank you once again for your incredibly kind words. You always find a way to make me smile. Everything that you say inspires me to continue writing. So – thank YOU for being amazing!

**Guest** – Thanks for your reviews on each chapter! Wow! You totally increased my review tally! I appreciate it sooo much!

**Nicholaslym** – Thanks so much for your review! I'm always so excited to see someone new leaving comments! Hope you enjoyed Ch.19

**Missradiology** – Here's some more development for you! I know you want more fluff, and eventually it will be there, but also please understand that Blaine has been through some awful, awful things and he is going to need some time. Right now he needs friends – which is exactly what Kurt, Burt and Carole are. He just needs to realize this…

**Kittykat** – Angst Queen? I think that's a good thing?! Thank you SO MUCH for your kind words! I really appreciate your review!

**Klainer96** – Thank you for reading and reviewing! You're amazing!

**Mzjem** – Here's your update! Sorry I'm so slow! I love sneaking in the funny bits (gotta lighten things up every now and again)

**Msdarque** – Yaaaay for progress… except, in typical me-like fashion, the angst continues and his progess comes to an abrupt halt!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – It's going to be an uphill battle for Blaine, so yes – it will be difficult for him to move on from this. As you just read – he has significant trust issues.

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**

-RH


	20. In My Black and Blue Sky

**Author's Note:**

**I've decided to post this at the top of this chapter instead of at the bottom where I usually write it. There are some pretty intense things happening at the end and I didn't want my Author's note to take away from the dramatics! ;)**

**Hopefully this chapter answers some of the burning questions I know you have all been asking! Thank you so much for your continued support and… happy reading!**

**Ch. 19 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – I'm running out of things to say in response to your amazing words of encouragement. I always smile when I see your name in the notification. I love hearing your thoughts on each chapter. You inspire me. **THANK YOU!**

**Guest** – 100th Review! I can't believe that 'Underneath' has hit 100! Thank you so much!

**Klainer96** – Thanks for your review! Hopefully Ch. 20 sheds some light for you!

**WritingGeek27116** – I also love Burt! He's such an awesome dad. There are some great Burt+Kurt moments in this chapter! Enjoy!

**Msdarque** – So many questions! I suspect that you're going to enjoy chapter 20. There is a lot going on here, and a lot of questions are answered! Thanks so much for your support!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Ohhhhh kluddles… we all need some kluddles don't we? And Klisses and Klainebows!

**Mzjem** – Cliffhangers are my specialty! Ha ha… Wait until you read this one… ;) (remember - NO PEEKING!)

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**

-RH

* * *

***** WARNING *** **

**This chapter contains heavy swearing, coarse language and multiple homophobic slurs. For this reason, viewer discretion is strongly advised.**

* * *

Chapter 20

It was snowing.

The temperature had dropped to below freezing overnight and even though it was almost midday now, the November sky remained grey and overcast.

Winter was well on its way.

A thin layer of white covered the streets as Kurt maneuvered the black navigator around the block one more time.

He rubbed his eyes with the bottom of his left palm, keeping his right hand clenched so tightly to the steering wheel his knuckles had turned white.

He'd barely slept.

He had closed his eyes for maybe an hour of restless tossing and turning before finally giving up just after seven o' clock and sneaking back upstairs to grab his coat and his keys.

As he had been tiptoeing soundlessly across the linoleum floor towards the front entrance, Kurt startled slightly when he came across his father in the kitchen. The elder Hummel was sitting at the table with a mug of warm milk and a look of exhaustion.

Kurt couldn't help but notice that his father looked… _old_.

They hadn't exchanged any words. Burt had known exactly where his son was going. He'd merely given Kurt a knowing nod before standing up from his place at the table, taking his son in a tight embrace and handing him his coat and a travel mug filled with warm milk before escorting him to the front door.

Kurt knew for a fact that his father would be blaming himself for Blaine taking off so unexpectedly.

Burt was truly the kindest, gentlest and most loving man Kurt had ever met, even if his opinion may have been a _little_ biased.

Truth was, Kurt felt guilty too. They should have known that Blaine was a flight risk. He had been so jumpy.

So… untrusting.

As much as it pained Kurt to think about the root cause of the boy's incessant nervousness, he could understand why Blaine would be hesitant to stay the night.

They shouldn't have pushed him to stay. With his apparent backstory, it would appear as though Blaine had been forced into a lot of things.

Kurt glanced at the green numbers on the digital clock in the dash of his car and sighed. It was almost noon. He'd been driving for hours without seeing any sign of Blaine anywhere. He'd checked the school, circled the blocks surrounding his home numerous times, returned to drive past the grey house on the other side of town twice and even made a pass by the hospital.

Blaine was nowhere to be found.

Kurt had driven to McKinley first thing when he'd started his search, before any students or teachers would have arrived. He'd run into the Janitor, Mr. Freely, who'd looked alarmed to see anyone in the building at such an early hour. Kurt asked the elderly man if he'd seen any other students lingering around, but the man had denied seeing anyone.

He searched through the entire school; including the gym, locker rooms and the library. He'd secretly hoped to find Blaine asleep in the corner of the library or in the weight room taking out his frustrations on the punching bag again, but subconsciously he knew that Blaine was in no shape to partake in any type of physical activity.

Let alone survive the night outside in the cold.

Kurt was at a loss. He'd had plenty of time to think during his search. His mind kept replaying the events of the past few weeks. Blaine's winces and groans as he moved, the terrified (or was it disgusted?) look on his face at the mention of his family.

A feeling of guilt was building in the pit of Kurt's stomach.

_How did I miss it? How did I not realize what was going on with him?_

He sighed a very heavy sigh and reached over to turn up the thermostat in the car. He immediately felt another pang of guilt as he remembered that Blaine had likely spent a good part, if not all of, the night outside, alone in the cold.

Kurt turned the heater back down.

_Why would he lie about where he lived? Was he worried that I'd find out that his father is an abusive asshole who beats the living shit out of him all the time?_

Kurt's fists clenched even tighter around the steering wheel as his anger bubbled once again.

_What kind of man could do that to his son? _

_Not a man. A monster._

A tear found its way down Kurt's cheek as he recalled how terrified Blaine had been when Burt had approached him after that football game, which seemed like ages ago.

Or when he'd pulled the boy out of Kurt's bed after wrongly assuming… _things_.

_If only we'd known._

He sighed, lifting a hand to brush away the stray tear and continued his desperate search.

_I need to find him. And help him. He can never go back home to that monster. _

_He can stay at my house. _

_I will sleep on the floor. He can have my bed and wear my clothes and eat my food. I'll even let him use my moisturizers… but he can't go back home. _

_He deserves better._

One last trip around the block proved uneventful and Kurt turned the vehicle back in the direction of home when a thought suddenly hit him.

_The bakery._

_Blaine said he worked at a bakery. Or a café. Which was it?_

_Where was it?_

Kurt desperately tried to recall the details of the conversation he'd had with the boy that day in the Lima Bean.

_Andy's? _

_No, it was a girl's name…_

His face scrunched up in concentration as he racked his brain.

_Annie's? Amy's?_

"Abby's!" He shouted aloud. "Definitely Abby's!"

Kurt's heart rate quickened as he pulled the Navigator over to the curb and yanked his iPhone out of his pocket. He quickly opened a browser and typed _'Abby's Bakery Limo, OH'_ into the Google search bar.

_Abby's Bakery_

_8912-16 Street_

_Lima, OH 45807_

_(316-555-1228)_

Kurt smiled widely for the first time that day as he punched the address into his GPS unit and took off down the street.

'_Abby's on 12__th__'_ He could now remember Blaine saying that day. _'I make the biscotti.'_

* * *

The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked goodies assaulted Kurt's soul the moment he stepped out of his car in front of the quaint-looking bakery. The building appeared relatively run-down, which matched the surrounding neighborhood perfectly.

_I wonder why he has a job way over here. This neighborhood is… scary._

A chill ran up his spine as he vaguely remembered Santana saying something about this neighborhood.

_Lima Heights Adjacent_.

Apparently it was a little rough around the edges. Not unlike Santana herself.

Kurt locked the Navigator and set the alarm on it before walking up to the front entrance of the bakery. A red plastic sign in the cracked front window informed him that the bakery was indeed open, so he reached up and pushed on the heavy, cold metal door. A tiny set of bells, which were fixed above the door jingled, and as Kurt pushed the door open, he was hit with an even stronger smell of fresh baked bread.

Kurt's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten anything since the toast and peanut butter he'd shared with Blaine the night before.

That seemed like so long ago now.

His chest ached again as his heart filled with guilt and sorrow.

_Had Blaine found anything to eat?_

An image of the injured boy digging through a filthy green dumpster behind McDonald's entered his mind and made Kurt's skin crawl.

He quickly pushed away the thought and made his way further into the tiny shop, noticing that the floors were clean but incredibly uneven. It looked as though the owner had just slapped a fresh coat of ugly antique yellow paint over the damaged cement rather than smoothing out the rough edges and cracks. The walls of the building were also concrete, but were framed with what looked like old grey barn wood. There were several round tables scattered around the shop with unmatched chairs sitting underneath each of them. Each table held a square silver napkin dispenser and an unmatched set of salt and peppershakers.

Kurt walked past the empty tables to the front counter, which doubled as a glass display case. After peering inside the case, Kurt found himself salivating over a number of incredible looking pastries, cookies, cakes and of course… hazelnut biscotti.

He stood staring into the case for several minutes before a heavyset Latina woman stepped out from the back room wearing a hairnet and black apron, which was covered in white flour.

"I'm sorry I didn't even hear you come in! I hope you haven't been waiting long." The woman said with a thick accent. She brushed her flour-coated hands onto her apron, successfully leaving even more trails of white on the black fabric.

"No ma'am." Kurt replied, turning to face her with a smile. "I've only just arrived."

"What can I get for you sweetcheeks?"

Kurt's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he hesitated. He hadn't exactly planned his speech.

_What am I suppose to say?_

"Is Blaine in today?" He figured it was a decent question to start with.

A look of recognition mixed with what appeared to be confusion crossed the woman's face. "Are you a friend of his?"

_Oh my god! She knows Blaine! Finally, something he has told me that isn't a lie!_

Kurt tried desperately to cling to his composure. "Yes, we go to school together."

The woman looked at Kurt intensely, as though scanning him from top to bottom.

"He hasn't been in for a while."

Kurt couldn't hide his disappointment as his heart sunk.

_Damn it. _

He took a deep breath.

_I'm not giving up just yet. _

"Do you know where he lives?"

The woman's eyes narrowed as she looked at Kurt skeptically. "Why do you want to know?"

Kurt sighed.

_Desperate times call for desperate measures. _

He knew that Blaine wouldn't appreciate him asking personal questions, but this could potentially be life or death.

_Screw the consequences._

"I think he's in trouble."

All of the apprehension instantly slipped off the woman's face and was replaced by genuine concern.

"Honey, what do you mean? Where is he?"

Kurt looked solemnly to the ground. "That's the thing… I don't know." It was barely more than a whisper.

He looked back up to the woman and sighed. "He… took off last night and I haven't been able to find him. I've looked _everywhere_. You're kind of my last hope."

A sparkle registered in the woman's eyes as she realized that this delicate looking boy was obviously concerned about Blaine. His worried features and seemingly genuine concern tugged at her heart.

_It's about time he has found someone who actually gives a damn._

"What did you say your name was?"

"I'm Kurt." He said, reaching out and offering the woman his hand.

She gently shook his hand, transferring some of the white flour onto his fingers before she smiled.

"Nice to meet you Kurt. I'm Abby. Why don't you sit down?" She said, nodding towards one of the tables.

"You look like you're about ready to fall over. I'll get us each a cup of coffee and you can tell me what happened, okay?"

Kurt nodded, speechless.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally be able to shed some light on the curious history of one Blaine Anderson.

* * *

Kurt had only been seated for a few minutes before Abby returned carrying a silver tray holding two steaming cups of coffee and a plate of biscotti.

"Help yourself honey. You look like you're starving."

Kurt offered the woman a tiny smile before reaching over and taking a cookie from the plate.

The pair sat in silence for a few moments; both outwardly enjoying their cups of coffee before Abby finally spoke up.

"Okay Kurt, why don't you start from the beginning?"

Kurt took another gulp of the hot coffee before setting the cup back on the table and sighing.

_How much should I tell her? Just enough to gain her trust? Or should I tell her everything?_

"Blaine…" He paused, looking for the right words. "Has been having some… _trouble_ at school."

"Okay…" Abby nodded, encouraging Kurt to continue.

"There are some guys that were… um… _bulling_me and Blaine kind of stood up for me. But then they got all pissed at him and… kind of… beat him up." He blathered.

He risked another look at Abby, whose thinly shaped eyebrows were now knitted together in concern.

"How bad was it?" She asked.

Kurt winced. "Pretty bad. He's kind of messed up."

Silence.

"That's why I'm so worried." Kurt spilled. "He shouldn't be alone right now. I tried to go to his house and check on him but he didn't really live there, some army guy did, and I don't think he has a cell phone, at least, I have never seen him with one. But he told me he worked here and I really hoped that he'd…"

Abby placed her warm hands onto Kurt's still chilled ones which were trembling on the table top, effectively putting a stop to his rambling.

"Shhh, honey. It's going to be alright. We'll find him."

Kurt's breathing rate had picked up once again and he found himself having to consciously remind himself to slow it back down to its regular rhythm.

Abby squeezed his fingers, "There you go baby… you're okay."

"I'm sorry." He whispered, shamefully. "I-I just… he's… he just _really_ needs a friend right now."

Abby smiled. "It looks to me as though he's already found one."

The kind words warmed Kurt's insides more than his coffee had. "He's a good guy."

"That he is." She concurred softly.

"When did you see him last?" Kurt enquired moments later, now fully composed.

"He hasn't been in here for weeks Kurt." She said sadly. "I've been wondering where he disappeared to."

Kurt's heart sunk even further.

Abby apparently noticed the change in his demeanor, because she squeezed his fingers once again.

"He used to come in here almost every day and ask if I ever needed help with anything." She explained. "I didn't really have a spot for a full time employee, but he got pretty good at baking the biscotti so I let him do that whenever he showed up. I could tell he needed the money, and he seemed to enjoy himself, but I couldn't afford to pay him very much. Such a sweet boy though, he was always so grateful for anything I could give him. He loved taking home the unsold baking."

Kurt smiled sadly.

"Do you know where he lives?"

Abby shook her head. "I paid him under the table, so I don't have any record of his address or contact information. I'm sorry sweetheart."

Kurt nodded slowly. "I understand."

"I don't think his home life is that… _wonderful_." Abby stated quietly.

Kurt looked up at her, "What do you mean?"

"Well, he never outright said it, but I always got the impression that he and his dad never got along very well. Whenever I asked him about his family, he always got really distant and would change the subject."

Kurt sighed.

_Sounds familiar._

"Ummm, Kurt?" Abby asked hesitantly, after several minutes of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Did Blaine ever tell you that he… well, that he's…?" She stumbled on the words.

"Gay?" Kurt offered.

Relief flooded Abby's face. She smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yeah." He explained. "That was the basis for the bullying at school."

"Ohhh…" Abby sounded slightly taken aback. "So, you're…_gay_… as well then?"

Kurt chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Guilty."

"Well, I'm just happy that Blaine finally found someone to relate to. I think he had a hard time with that kind of stuff at home. Just from how he spoke, I mean."

Kurt nodded in agreement. "I think you may be right."

"Too bad." Abby sighed. "He's such a sweet boy."

Kurt nodded. "I just wish I knew more about him. We've only just recently become friends."

"Have you talked to any of his teachers? Maybe they know what's going on with him."

Kurt scoffed. "The teachers at McKinley couldn't give a… crap… about any of us. They've allowed the jocks to throw slushies at me and toss me in dumpsters every day for the past two years without batting an eye."

Abby didn't miss the acid-laced tone in Kurt's voice.

"There must be someone at the school that Blaine trusted?"

Kurt shrugged. "He hasn't even been here that long. All I've ever seen him do is hang out with the rest of those neanderthals and play football."

"What about his coach?"

Kurt considered that for a moment. Coach Beiste had looked pretty concerned about him the other day after he'd been all but attacked out on the field. Maybe she would be willing to help find him.

"Or his teammates?" Abby added upon Kurt's silence.

A disgusted snort, combined with an irritated headshake gave her all the answer she needed.

"They turned rogue after he came out last week trying to protect me." Kurt explained with a frown. "Then they look the liberty of kicking his ass at practice."

Kurt didn't miss the unmistakable look of pity that flashed across the woman's face.

They sat in silence for several more minutes before Kurt looked at his watch. It was after 2pm.

He couldn't believe how much time had passed while they were sitting at that little table.

"I should go." He announced, and he stood up from the table and placed his empty cup back onto the silver tray.

"I hope you find him, Kurt."

"Yes, me too. Thank you for your help, and for the coffee. I really needed that."

Abby smiled and rubbed a hand down the boy's arm. "Let me package up some goodies to take home with you."

Kurt tried to politely refuse, but Abby insisted and in the end, Kurt was left holding a large white box filled with cookies, pastries and several slices of pie.

"My dad is going to love you." Kurt smiled.

Abby grinned, "Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie."

Kurt laughed. "Yes, I think he'd agree with you."

He turned to leave, but stopped and turned back around to face his new friend.

"Thank you… for everything. If you see Blaine, can you please just tell him I'm sorry and that I hope he's okay?" He set the box down on a nearby table and pulled one of his dad's business cards out of his pocket. Here's my dad's work number, I've also written my cell number on the back. If he comes in, please have him call me and just let me know that he's safe."

Abby accepted the card and pulled the boy into an unexpected hug.

"Of course, Kurt."

As her arms wrapped around the thin boy, Kurt was overwhelmed once again by the delicious smell of homemade bread, cakes and cookies.

Even her hair smelled good. Somehow, it reminded him of his mother.

When she pulled away, Kurt was left with a fine dusting of white down the front of his favorite coat.

He didn't mind a bit.

* * *

It was nearly 3pm when Kurt pulled into the parking lot at McKinley High. It was Friday and today was an early release day so he'd decided to take a chance and go back to the school and find Coach Beiste.

The empty hallways echoed as he stepped cautiously towards the coaching office. He was about thirty feet away from the door when a voice halted him in his tracks.

"What are you doing here Nancy boy?"

Kurt sighed.

_Great. The one person I wanted to avoid… go figure._

He resumed walking towards the office until he felt something ping off the back of his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

_Ignore him. Maybe he'll just curl up in a corner and die._

"Where is your butt boy fag boyfriend Blaine? Haven't seen him around lately."

Instead of his usual fear and panic in response to Karofsky's harsh words, Kurt felt a new emotion towards the jock as a combination of anger and annoyance boiled inside of him.

_You. Hurt. Blaine._

He spun around quickly wearing the most intense bitch-face he could muster.

But Karofsky was gone.

A brief flash of red and white disappeared into the boy's locker room and Kurt, still filled with rage, chased after the unsuspecting jock.

"Hey!" He yelled, running down the hallway.

Kurt pushed his way into the locker room, more upset than he had ever been before.

"I am talking to you!"

"The girl's locker room is next door." Karofsky muttered, pulling several items out of his red gym locker.

"What is your problem?" He screamed.

Karofsky looked surprised at Kurt's sudden outburst. "Excuse me?"

"What are you so scared of?"

"Besides you sneaking in here to peek at my junk?"

Kurt could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Oh yeah, every straight guy's nightmare, that all us gays are secretly out to molest and convert you. Well, guess what ham hock? You're not my type. And judging by the way you've treated Blaine, I very _seriously_ doubt he'll _ever_ want anything to do with you either."

Karofsky's face fell slightly. "That right?"

Kurt swallowed and decided to push the jock even further. "Yeah, I don't dig on chubby boys that sweat too much and are going to be bald by the time they're thirty."

Karofsky raised a clenched fist towards Kurt's face. "Do not _push_ me, Hummel."

Kurt looked down nervously at the fist momentarily, but decided that he'd come this far, no use turning back now.

"You gonna hit me?" Kurt said, nodding towards the other teen's outstretched fist. "Do it."

"Don't push me!" The mammoth of a teenager slammed his arm into the locker next to Kurt's head. The vibrations sent chills up Kurt's spine, but he maintained his pseudo-confident stance.

_Don't back down._

"Hit me. 'Cuz it's not going to change who I am. You can't punch the gay out of me or Blaine anymore than he could punch the ignoramus out of you!"

Karofsky's face turned beet red. Obviously Kurt's words were having an effect on him. "Get out of my face!" There was so much anger and pent up frustration in the jock's voice that it sent a new wave of fear through Kurt.

"You wanna know where Blaine has been?" Kurt asked with an irritated snarl, stepping inches closer to the much larger teenager and glaring at him.

The jock scoffed but didn't answer. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at where Kurt stood, challenging him.

"He's been unconscious for almost a week!" Kurt shouted angrily. "He could have died!"

Karofsky stood silently unmoving, and Kurt noticed his eyes widen at his own hate-filled words.

"And now he took off and I can't find him anywhere. For all I know he's lying in an alley somewhere frozen to death. I hope you're happy now, David. I hope you feel like a _real_ man."

Kurt decided not to push his luck any further. After sending another chilling glare towards the other teen, he turned to walk back out of the locker room. Once at the door, he spun back around to face the still-fuming Karofsky and pointed an angry finger at him.

"You are nothing but a scared little boy who can't handle how extraordinarily ordinary you are."

Karofsky said nothing.

It appeared as though, for the first time ever, Kurt Hummel had made a dent in his armor.

* * *

Kurt was vibrating when he stepped outside the locker room.

He'd confronted Karofsky.

And he still had all his limbs.

Even though Kurt had missed several days of school while he'd stayed home with the recovering boy in his bedroom, he hadn't failed to notice that the taunting and bullying had tapered off since Blaine had been 'outed' to the whole school. There hadn't been ignorant or homophobic slurs pasted all over his Facebook timeline or threatening emails which had been common in the past.

It appeared as though he had been tossed aside like a piece of garbage since the bigoted haters had found a new puppy to kick around.

_Blaine came out to protect me, and look where that got him._

A paralyzing shiver crept up Kurt's spine as he realized that in the eyes of most of the students and likely a good portion of the faculty, Blaine Anderson had transformed overnight from a handsome, popular football star to… nothing.

Feeling slightly more composed; Kurt shakily made his way down the hallway, again in the direction of the coaching office.

Approaching footsteps made Kurt look up from the floor with apprehension. At first all he saw was the red and white of the letterman's jacket and he almost panicked for a brief second before realizing that it was Noah Puckerman coming towards him, not David Karofsky.

"Sup dude?" The mohawked teen asked. "Have you seen…?"

"Not now, Puckerman." Kurt replied shortly, and wedged his way past the football player and into the door labeled 'Coaching Office'.

Once safely inside the door, he leaned against the wall for several minutes to regain his composure and catch his breath.

"Kurt? Is that you?"

Still obviously a little skittish, Kurt jumped a little at the unexpected voice.

Coach Beiste stood several feet away from him, holding a clipboard and what looked like a roasted chicken take out container.

Kurt nodded, still unsure if his voice would have returned to normal.

"Are you okay son?" For a very _non-feminine _looking woman, the coach sounded genuinely soft and concerned.

Kurt nodded once again. "Yeah, I-I'm fine." His voice was definitely not quite back to its normal pitch.

The coach took a few more steps towards Kurt and extended a hand out to him. "Why don't you come sit down for a minute? You look like hell."

Kurt couldn't help but smile. He nodded and followed the giant of a woman further into the office and sat down on a comfy leather sofa.

Several minutes of silence ensued before the coach spoke up. "So… are you gonna tell me what's going on that has you looking so… _off_?"

Kurt frowned, then remembered that he hadn't showered that morning, changed his clothes or even bothered to run a comb through his normally perfectly coiffed hair.

He _must_ have looked bad for Coach Beiste to notice.

"I'm fine." He started quietly, "It's Blaine I'm worried about."

Coach Beiste nodded, but remained silent.

"You saw him the other day after practice. He was pretty messed up." Kurt explained.

The coach's eyes dropped as she remembered the state the boy was in when he left practice. "He told me his mom would take him to the hospital if it got worse."

Kurt frowned. "He didn't go, and it got worse, much worse."

"Damn." She muttered under her breath.

"He stayed at my place for a couple nights but he kind of freaked out last night and took off, and now I can't find him."

She looked up at Kurt with sad eyes. "What can I do to help?"

Kurt hesitated. He knew what he was about to ask was against the rules. But, it may well be his last chance to find Blaine and he was willing to risk it.

"I need you to look at the school's records and find his home address for me."

Beiste remained quiet.

After several minutes of forced silence, Kurt debated on just standing up and walking out of the office, hoping that the coach would just forget about the whole thing and not suspend him from school for even asking her to break into the principal's private records.

"I'll do it."

Kurt's head popped up.

_Whoa, what?_

"I kind of figured that something was up with him that day, and I feel awful that I didn't do anything to help him then. But, I can help him now, so… I'll do it."

Kurt couldn't believe his ears.

_The football coach was actually going to break into the office and steal confidential information from private records for him?_

"Sit tight. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kurt hadn't even found the appropriate words to answer before the coach had stood up and briskly walked out of the office.

She returned, nearly out of breath, several minutes later and handed Kurt a yellow sticky note with an address scribbled on it in messy cursive.

"Please don't tell anyone." She said guiltily. "I could get in serious trouble for doing that."

Kurt smiled. "I won't. I promise. Thank you… _so_ much, coach."

She grinned and placed a heavy hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Go find him, pumpkin."

* * *

Kurt hurried back out to the parking lot and climbed into his Navigator, clenching the yellow sticky note in his fist.

He started the engine and turned up the heater, sticking the note to the rearview mirror so as not to lose sight of it.

He took a deep breath and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Hummel Tires and Lube"

"Hey dad, it's Ku…"

"Did you find him?" Burt's voice interrupted.

"Not yet, but I have his address. His _real_ address." Kurt explained triumphantly.

"How did you…?"

This time it was Kurt that did the interrupting.

He shook his head. "Don't… ask."

There was a silent pause before he continued.

"Ummm, dad? I know you're busy, and I hate bugging you when you're at work, but…"

"Come pick me up at the shop. I'll be ready when you get here."

Kurt closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before agreeing, ending the call and shifting the vehicle into gear.

_We're coming Blaine. Hold on, we're coming. _

* * *

"I'm glad you're sensible enough to not go alone." The elder Hummel said from the passenger seat. He lifted his greasy ball cap from his crown and ran a lubricant-stained hand across his forehead, leaving a tiny, but still noticeable dark stain across his weathered skin.

Kurt nodded, looking towards the exhausted figure seated next to him.

"I just…" He sighed, "If he's as bad as my imagination has made him out to be, I _really_ don't want to meet Blaine's father when I'm alone."

Burt nodded in agreement. "Me neither."

Kurt looked taken aback. "You're afraid too?"

Without an inkling of jest, Burt looked back at his son. "Yeah."

Kurt's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

_Wow. _

Kurt couldn't help but laugh out loud when his father winked a second later and added, "Afraid of what I'd do to the prick if I was alone with him."

Several minutes later, Kurt's GPS unit showed them arriving at their destination. He pulled the Navigator over to the curb and switched off the engine.

Both Hummel men looked out the windshield at the giant white house that matched the address.

Burt whistled. "That's a big friggin' house."

Kurt nodded.

_Blaine lives here?_

_Then why does he work at that decrepit old bakery on the other side of town? _

As they both crept up the sidewalk cautiously, Burt turned towards his son. "Let me do the talking. If he tries anything, I'm going to punch the bastard in the head… and then we run like hell."

Kurt couldn't tell whether or not his father was kidding.

The Victorian-style mansion was surrounded by a heavy white wrought-iron fence, which made it look even more impressive. Kurt's jaw dropped in disbelief when he noticed that there were both pillars and gargoyles (gargoyles!) on the front porch, which itself featured a beautifully crafted two-story turret. The place looked more like a museum than a home. A white lattice-covered veranda wound its way around the first as well as the second levels of the home. The intricate trim work around the home was impressive, if not borderline over-powering.

Kurt was still preoccupied with the complexity and sophistication of the house until the duo climbed up the front steps and Burt rang the doorbell.

The flabbergasted teen snapped out of his reverie and stood stalk-still with wide eyes.

_This is when we meet the monster._

Next to him, Burt was nervous. He was trying to put on a brave front for his son, but he could feel his palms sweating and his knees quivering ever so slightly. Had it been a mistake to come here? Should he have alerted the cops to come instead? All they'd have to do is take one look at Blaine and his father would be tossed in jail and the key thrown away forever.

Why had he brought Kurt? Why put him in the middle of this?

_Smart move dumbass. Bring the flamboyantly gay kid to the violent homophobe's evil lair. _

Burt had been imagining how likely it was that a butler with a thick English accent, dressed in a black tuxedo and holding a round silver tray filled with cocktails would answer the door when the sound of metal clicking against metal shocked him back into the present.

The door was opened several inches, revealing a thin, gaunt-looking man who stood a few inches taller than Kurt and appeared to be in his early sixties. He was dressed in an immaculate Armani business suit, complete with an expensive looking tie and matching pocket square. The man's facial features instantly reminded Kurt of a weasel and he had a thick head of wavy, silver hair parted almost symmetrically on the left side of his head. The man's face was slender, almost elongated, and his chin angled slightly forward and featured a pronounced cleft. His eyes were narrow, dark, and filled with inscrutability.

Burt thought he looked _shifty_.

"Mr. Anderson?" He asked warily. He was going to make bloody sure this was the correct man this time.

"Yes?" The man answered suspiciously, giving the grease covered man on his porch a disgusted once over.

"Who wants to know?" He didn't even bother to look at Kurt, who stood directly to Burt's left.

"I'm Burt and this is my son Kurt."

The man scoffed. "You're not serious? Is this some kind of joke?" He looked around the two strangers on the doorstep, as though expecting someone else to jump out and yell 'gotcha!'

Burt swallowed the lump of agitation that had taken up residence in his throat and narrowed his eyes.

"Where's Blaine?"

Kurt's eyebrows raised quickly on his forehead as he looked at his father in surprise.

_Wow, that was subtle._

The man also appeared surprised. And extremely annoyed.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you and your…" he nodded towards Kurt in distaste, "…_son_ to leave these premises immediately."

"We're not leaving until we talk to Blaine." Kurt declared, raising his chin proudly. His voice was several octaves higher than he'd hoped for; his anger and trepidation seeping past his false bravado.

The man finally turned to face Kurt and, not dissimilarly to his brief overview of the boy's father, he allowed his eyes to hastily roam from head to toe and back again before raising a disapproving eyebrow.

"And how do _you_ know my son?"

"I go to school with him." Kurt stated, not allowing his eyes to wander from where they were affixed to the other man's dark, empty ones.

"Ummhmm…" The man muttered.

Burt took a step to his left, placing himself between his son and the man on the other side of the doorframe.

"I'm not going to ask you again. Where's Blaine?"

Mr. Anderson's bushy triangular eyebrows knitted together and his dark eyes narrowed.

"You need to leave. Now"

"Where is he? Is he here?" Kurt pleaded. The words came out far less intimidating than he'd planned. He tried to position himself closer to the open door so he could risk a peek inside the extravagant home.

It was as though he expected Blaine to be nervously standing behind his father's coattails, waiting for his rescuers to arrive and take him away.

"Get off my property before I call the police!" The man's voice raised several decibels and both impatience and anger became more apparent in his tone.

"Sure." Burt replied smugly, not backing down. "You go right ahead and call them. When they get here, I'll be sure to tell them all about you beating the shit out of your own son."

The man's face transitioned from aggravation to bewilderment instantaneously. "What in god's name are you talking about?"

Burt scoffed as his own level of irritation climbed steadily.

_As if you're going to try and deny it you filthy rat bastard._

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, you homophobic asshole!"

Kurt startled slightly. He'd never seen his father this upset before.

Mr. Anderson's eyes widened at Burt's sudden accusations. "What has that filthy little faggot been telling you?"

Kurt winced.

Burt almost exploded. His bald head turned a violent shade of red and grew increasingly hot. He clenched his fists together and forced himself to take in a deep breath, hold it for a millisecond before releasing it slowly.

_I'm not going to kill him. I'm not going to kill him._

"Don't you talk about him like that!" Kurt interjected. He could feel the dampness of tears threatening to gather at the corners of his eyes.

"Hmmph, let me guess…" The man sneered. "You're one of those fairies too, right?"

Burt's temperature raised another few degrees and his fists starting twitching.

_I'm going to kill him._

"Don't you _dare_ talk about _my_ son like that _ever_ again." He muttered through gritted teeth.

The man in the doorway paid no attention to Burt's warning.

"That disgusting little _freak_ hasn't showed his face around here in months." He spat. "If he knew what was good for him, he'd do us all a favor and take a jump off a tall bridge."

Burt's eyes widened and his jaw dropped but he couldn't come up with any words.

"Stupid little faggot would probably screw that up too. He messed everything else up. Spoiled little _brat_."

Mr. Anderson was completely oblivious to the two jaw-slacked Hummels standing before him as he continued on with his rant.

"Do you know what that ungrateful little fucker did? The day after I kicked his rotten little spoiled brat ass out, he had the _nerve_ to sneak back into the house while we were at work and steal from us! He took food, clothes, and I wouldn't be surprised if he raided my wife's purse. Disgusting little faggot probably needed the spare change to pay for blowjobs in the back alley."

"That's enough!" Burt hollered, after visibly shaking himself from his stupor.

The man actually cowered away slightly at the ferocity of Burt's tone. He pulled the door closed a few millimeters, an act which did not go unnoticed by either Kurt or his father.

Any and all intelligible words had escaped Kurt by this point. Tears had begun falling long ago and there was no stopping them now.

_How could anyone speak like that about his own son?_

He could feel his legs trembling as he swayed slightly on the front porch of this man's home.

_He really was a monster._

Kurt was in such a state of shock that he couldn't even make out any of the words that his father and the monster were saying, or rather, _screaming_ at each other.

It wasn't until Burt grabbed him harshly by the arm and pulled him off the step that he realized that the front door had been slammed shut and Mr. Anderson was gone.

He looked around dazedly, until his eyes met his father's face, but still, no words spilled from his mouth.

"Come on Kurt. Let's get out of here." His father's tone was still laced heavily with anger, but Kurt could feel that none of it was directed towards him.

"B-blaine?" He sobbed; salty tears still running freely down his reddened cheeks.

Burt sighed. "He's not here Kurt. He never has been."

"W-what?"

"It wasn't him." Burt replied dumbly.

Kurt didn't understand.

_Mr. Anderson was the monster. He had to be. _

_The monster that hurt Blaine._

"It wasn't him." His father repeated stoically as he helped his stupefied son into the passenger seat of the Navigator. "He's not the one that's been harming Blaine."

"It wasn't him."

* * *

A shiver ran up Blaine's spine as he pulled his arms around his torso in an even tighter, lonely embrace.

He re-adjusted his position as the frozen, unforgiving metal bench at the bus stop did nothing to warm him and he tucked his chin down into his chest once again, curling into himself like a child.

The frigid air stung his cheeks and he felt his throat and lungs burning; each breath he released caused a plume of fog to stutter from between his bluish lips as his teeth chattered violently. His entire body was trembling noticeably as he struggled to keep his sluggish eyes open.

Blaine couldn't help but appreciate the irony; the chilling cold had numbed his body to the point that the throbbing in his shoulder and ribs had almost completely been eliminated.

He wished he'd kept the sling. Such a simple device had made his shoulder feel significantly better when he'd been wearing it. But he didn't want the Hummels to assume that he'd stolen it from them. It was bad enough that he'd kept another set of Kurt's clothes.

Blaine cursed his stupidity.

_I should have never left the Hummel's home. They were so kind to me. So…welcoming. _

The moment that he'd learned he had been lying unconscious for the past several days, he'd panicked.

He knew he was going to be in trouble.

Four days without telling anyone where he'd been.

Four days without…

Yeah, he was definitely going to be in trouble.

Another shiver wracked his small frame as he heard a vehicle approach.

He lifted his head, now fully alert as he saw the black SUV driving slowly along the street in front of him.

Blaine's heart raced when it pulled up in front of him and the tinted window on the passenger's side rolled down slowly.

_He's here! Kurt actually came!_

"Hey kid. Do you know how to get to the stadium?"

Blaine's heart sank.

_Not Kurt._

Unable to speak, he merely shook his head and watched sadly as the car sped off down the street.

After he'd climbed out the window of the Hummel's bathroom the night before, he spent the next several hours pacing the streets, trying desperately to find a place to keep warm.

He'd underestimated the weather.

It was cold. Too cold.

Blaine eventually found himself in a dingy café, sitting in a booth with a torn red plastic cover on the seat.

He'd remained there for several hours, watching silently out the window. He wasn't even sure what he was watching for.

Or who.

Finally, the waitress told him that if he wasn't going to order anything except a cup of hot water, that he was going to have to leave.

Facing the cold was even worse the second time.

Blaine had walked briskly, trying desperately to keep warm and ended up trekking miles across town, with no definite plan or final destination in mind. He followed the railway tracks, and stopped at several underground train stations along the way, where he stood next to multiple homeless people, trying to find warmth under the tiny heaters.

When morning finally came and the sun peeked out from behind the eastern horizon, Blaine tried to remain hidden in the alleys as he continued his journey to nowhere in particular.

He didn't dare walk out in the open.

Later on in the day, while still wandering aimlessly, Blaine was shocked when he came upon a pay phone on a side street he'd never been down before. Payphones were a rare commodity these days.

Especially in Lima, Ohio.

He'd stealthily snuck up to the machine and reached his chilled fingers into the change dispenser.

Just like all of the soda machines and bus ticket dispensers he'd checked so far, the tiny opening in the machine was cold and empty.

Before he'd turned around and stepped out of the booth, Blaine grabbed the phonebook that lay defaced and dangling below the receiver and flipped it open. He flicked through the thin pages with his still trembling fingers until he found what he'd been searching for; a quarter page ad for 'Hummel Tires and Lube'. He tore out the whole page and stuffed it into his pocket.

He spent the remainder of the afternoon debating on who he'd even call if he ever came upon a loose quarter.

His brain told him to go back. It would be better for everyone if he just went… _back_.

_The Hummels shouldn't get themselves involved. Someone could get hurt._

_Kurt could get hurt._

But he _really_ didn't want to go back _there_.

A chill streaked up his spine, but for the first time, it was not as a result of the cold.

He couldn't go back.

Blaine's mind drifted back to his time spent with Kurt and his family. They'd welcomed him into their home, no questions asked, and took care of him while he'd been recuperating.

_They deserve better._

Blaine considered walking to Abby's. She was always up early each morning baking bread.

But then she would ask questions.

He couldn't have anyone asking questions.

Calling his father was not even an option. He hadn't heard from that bigoted asshole in months.

Blaine planned to keep it that way.

Finally, after the afternoon had transitioned into early evening, Blaine concluded that there was no way he could survive another night alone on the streets.

Literally.

As he was walking down another side street, he came upon a small church.

The Andersons were not religious people, by any stretch of the imagination, but Blaine knew that if there was one place he could turn to for help, it would be a church.

He stepped inside the doors and vigorously rubbed his hands together, trying to regain some warmth. His stiffened fingers tingled as the circulation returned within minutes.

"Son, are you alright?" A deep voice sounded from his left. "Why haven't you got a coat?"

Blaine turned towards the voice to see a tall, heavyset man he assumed to be the minister of the church.

"C-can I…er… _may_ I p-please use your phone?" His voice trembled.

The man looked at the state of the boy before him and nodded immediately. "Yes, please come inside."

He led Blaine into the church office, showed him the phone and promptly left the room, allowing Blaine the privacy he craved.

Blaine picked up the receiver of the phone and hesitated.

He pulled out the thin piece of paper from his pocket that he'd torn out of the phonebook at stared at the numbers.

A knock on the door several minutes later startled him.

"Son, is everything alright? Are you done with the phone now?"

Blaine shook his head; he hadn't realized so much time had passed while he'd sat pondering.

"No sir, I'm sorry. I need another minute."

He closed his eyes and began dialing.

* * *

Now here he sat, on the frigid bench at the bus stop, shivering violently and praying for warmth.

His heart stopped momentarily when he saw the vehicle approaching.

When it pulled over directly in front of him, Blaine hesitated before standing up from the stone cold bench.

His legs protested due to the lack of blood circulating to his feet. He walked on pins and needles until he pried open the door of the SUV with trembling fingers and climbed in.

He was instantly hit with warm air that was billowing out from the heater of the car causing his shivering to reach a crescendo, but it wasn't the temperature that had the boy quaking and cowering as close to the passenger door as he could manage.

"Where the _fuck,_ have you been?"

Blaine winced.

_Here it comes._

"Look at me when I'm talking to you! I asked you a question!"

Blaine gulped and turned his head slowly to face the other occupant of the car for the first time, tears freely slipping down his rosy, wind-burned cheeks.

The other boy noticed the array of multi-colored bruises that colored Blaine's face and his expression changed minutely.

"Jesus! It's worse than I thought. You didn't go to the hospital, did you?"

Blaine shook his head, still unable to speak.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you that hard. You know I didn't mean it, right?"

Blaine couldn't prevent the grimace that formed on his face.

"You know I love you, right?"

He ignored the question.

A cold hand pressed onto Blaine's thigh, causing the boy to flinch away and cower closer to the door of the car.

"Oh, come on Blaine, don't be like that." The boy mocked, moving his hand further to the inside of Blaine's thigh. His long fingers graced over his crotch and Blaine winced, a tiny whimper leaving his lips.

"P-please don't." It was barely more than a frightened whisper.

"Come on baby, I told you I was sorry. I just haven't seen you in so long. I was worried."

The fingers pressed harder on Blaine's crotch and he could feel warmth on his neck as the other boy leaned over the console which until this point had separated them, and whispered into his ear. "I missed you and your sexy body."

Blaine felt new tears slipping from his face as the other teen's fingers began palming the bulge of his crotch through the thin fabric of the jeans.

"S-Sebastian, please stop. I just wanna go home."


	21. Under My Skin

**Author's Note:**

**Hello readers! **

**I just wanted to say a giant "THANK YOU" for everyone who has stuck with me and continued to follow 'Underneath'. I know that I have been very inconsistent with updating because I was studying for a huge exam. But… now I'm FREE and hope to write as much as possible! So, thank you so much for your continued support! **** Love you all! **

**XOXO**

**-RH**

**Ch. 20 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – I love love love that you pick up on my tiny details all the time! I agree in that the small details are what make the story 'work'. I love descriptive writing and I try so hard to paint a picture for you all to see while reading. I'm glad that it seems to be working! Thanks (as always) for you extremely kind words! xoxo

**WritingGeek27116** – Oh my god, your review made me laugh so hard! All of your theories were so funny! But the kind words were just – amazing. Thank you so much for believing in me! That means so much!

**DrocoCriss** – Yay! New reviewer! Thanks so much for checking out my story! Sorry for the slow update! I agree that it is time for Kurt to finally find Blaine and keep him safe and warm. Soon. It's coming… soon.

**Msdarque** – Mr. Anderson has been pegged as the 'bad guy' in so many fics. I couldn't not run with it. I actually have this image of him in my mind… exactly how he looks and speaks… I hope it came across as well as I 'see' him. Blaine has obviously got some issues, so it must have originated somewhere… right? ;)

**Lovefanfics** – Horrah! Another new reviewer! Thanks for reading 'Underneath'! I know that I have induced a lot more "Sebastian hatred" after the last chapter… Keep reading… I think you'll find a few more unsuspected twists and turns…

**Jittermeenz** – Klaingst is also my addiction. To quote a 'mildly popular movie'… "It's like a drug to me. My own personal brand of heroin." I'm sure many of you will agree! Ps… I'm sorry I made you cry

**Purpleview** – Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like my story! I'm having a blast writing it!

**Jay Li Matsuda** - I'm so sorry for making you feel pain while reading my story! I promise better things will happen eventually. We just have a little more tough stuff to get through with our boys… then, I promise there are sunshine and rainbows galore!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Seriously… your review made me laugh so hard I nearly died. I actually did the Kurt snort when I read the part about Hungry Tigers and feeding 'Sebastard's' demonic soul to Lord Tubbington. Yes… you absolutely made my day with that comment. I'm still laughing about it now actually… ps… watch for a little mention in this chapter – just for you… ;)

**Mzjem** – Ha ha ha – I can still see you munching away on your popcorn reading the story on your computer and when you got to the dramatic ending… popcorn flew everywhere… ha ha ha!

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

-RH

* * *

Chapter 21

"Are you sure you don't want any eggs?"

After several minutes of unanswered silence, Carole turned around from her position in front of the stove to face Kurt, who was sitting at the kitchen table. His shoulders were slumped and his posture was very _un-Kurt-like_. He was usually so meticulous about how he presented himself.

Even his hair looked unkempt.

Today however, he sat quietly at the table, staring at the black and white pages of the morning newspaper, several slices of untouched toast with peanut butter lay on a green plate in front of him.

Kurt continued to flip mindlessly through the pages of the paper, skipping over the fashion section and going directly to the classifieds. He'd been nonchalantly checking out the obituaries over the past few days. He didn't tell anyone why, but he just couldn't get rid of the tiny nagging voice in his head that told him something was terribly wrong. He skimmed down the page and released the deep breath that he'd been holding when his eyes met the end of the list without seeing any familiar names.

Blaine wasn't dead.

It had been five days since Blaine had snuck out the Hummel's bathroom window.

Kurt had spent much of the weekend driving around Lima looking for any sign of his friend. He'd returned to the bakery but was saddened to learn that Abby hadn't heard from Blaine either. Kurt checked back at the school, the library, the bus stops, and even the homeless shelter.

No one had seen neither hide nor curly black hair of the boy.

Burt had forced Kurt to go back to school on Monday morning, much to his chagrin. He floated carelessly from class to class without speaking to anyone. His mind was constantly buzzing with new theories and he found himself replaying his past conversations with Blaine hoping to find some new information of his whereabouts.

He came up empty.

On the plus side, Kurt was happy that Dave Karofsky had seemingly forgotten about him for the time being. Not a single locker check, slushie or dumpster toss in the three days that he'd been back in school. He was thankful that he didn't need to deal with the football team on top of everything else.

Burt had contacted the police Monday morning, but the conversation proved unsuccessful after he'd mentioned that Blaine had actually left on his own accord. They told him that they would "keep an eye out for him", but said that officially their hands were tied until Blaine's parents filed a missing person's report.

Burt didn't see _that_ happening any time soon.

Carole and Finn had all but moved into the Hummel home over the past few days. Carole was still working at the hospital several nights a week, but she had made herself at home. Finn, on the other hand, had been slightly less enthused about the move; he had opted to spend much of the past week at Puck's house. Tension was still high between him and Kurt, and both teens found it far easier to just avoid each other rather than try to work things out.

Burt and Carole had both noticed the awkward silences and disapproving glances between the pair of teenagers, but with everything going on, they too decided to leave it alone for the time being.

Kurt sighed, setting the newspaper down on the table.

"You look exhausted, sweetie." Carole said softly, setting a plate of eggs on the table in front of Kurt and looking deep into his eyes. They were bloodshot and had dark circles under them. "Are you getting any sleep?"

Kurt sighed again, glancing up at the older woman with a look of anguish. He shook his head slowly. "I don't know what to do."

Carole pulled a chair out from under the table, sat next to Kurt and placed a gentle hand on his knee.

"Oh honey. You've tried so hard to find him. You've done everything you can. It's up to him now."

Kurt nodded reluctantly, but in his heart he couldn't make himself agree with her sentiments.

_What if he's in trouble and he can't help himself?_

"He's been through so much." Kurt whispered. "What if he couldn't fight back this time?"

Carole's eyes fluttered closed momentarily and her eyebrows furrowed. She thought for a moment before choosing her words carefully. She didn't want Kurt to see how much Blaine's sudden disappearance had been bothering her. She was determined to maintain her rock solid façade.

"Blaine is… very… _independent_, Kurt. Ever since I first met him, he wanted to do everything for himself. He didn't have a great upbringing and I think that it just got… _worse_ for him the older he got. His family never came to visit him the entire time he was in the hospital. A fourteen-year-old kid, all alone, and left to figure things out for himself. From the sounds of things, his life never got much easier for him after he left the hospital either. I don't know what is going on with him now, but I know that you've been a great help to him Kurt. You've only known him for a short time, but the other day, when you were in the living room together, I've _never_ heard him laugh like that. You brought a sparkle to his eye that wasn't there before, Kurt. _You_ did that. And I'm certain that he knows that he can trust you. He probably just needs a little time to sort himself out."

Kurt's stare remained on the floor during Carole's speech.

_Did Blaine trust him? If he did, why did he lie about where he lived?_

Kurt couldn't help but see the irony of the situation.

_As much as I've supposedly helped Blaine, he's the one that saved my ass at school._

"Blaine is a good boy, Kurt. He knows that he needs help. Otherwise he wouldn't have showed up here the other night. He likely left because he didn't want to be an inconvenience."

Kurt quickly raised his head, and narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Why would he ever think that?"

"Like I said," Carole stated, squeezing Kurt's knee. "He's very independent. The entire time he spent in the hospital, he was constantly apologizing for 'taking up our time', and refusing help when he really needed it. I think that must have been how things went for him at home." She shrugged. "He's such a sweet boy, so polite and appreciative for everything. It's a wonder how he turned out so well with parents like his.

Kurt didn't miss the hint of acid in Carole's voice.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Carole sighed and stood up from the table. "I know you're worried about him sweetheart, we all are, but there's no use in making yourself sick over it. Can I make you a cup of tea before you head off to school?"

_Tea? I don't want tea. _

_I want Blaine. _

Kurt's eyes widened and his posture improved dramatically as he suddenly sat upright in his chair.

"Tea!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Yes honey, would you like a cup?"

Carole's words went completely unnoticed.

_What was the name of that coffee/tea shop Blaine had offered to take him to?_

Kurt closed his eyes, his brain desperately clutching at the distant memory.

_Tea Tree. _

"I have to go!" He announced abruptly.

Before Carole could even ask, Kurt had grabbed his coat and keys and was out the door.

* * *

The overpowering smell of coffee was a welcomed reward as Kurt made his way into the tiny coffee shop. Several patrons were seated throughout the shop, each with a steaming mug of morning happiness in front of them. Kurt waited in line for several minutes before he reached the counter.

A friendly-looking girl with pink hair flashed Kurt a brilliant smile.

"Good morning!" She said cheerfully. "What can I get for you?"

Kurt couldn't help but return her infectious smile; her effervescent personality was like a breath of fresh air.

It felt like the first time he'd smiled since Blaine left.

"Hi, ummm… may I please get a grande non-fat mocha?"

The barista smiled and wrote his order on the paper cup with a blue marker. "Of course! Anything else for you?"

"Well, actually…" Kurt said nervously, "I'm looking for a friend of mine. I'm wondering if you've seen him?"

The girl (Her name tag read Ashley) tilted her head to the side curiously. "Oh? What's his name?"

"Blaine." Kurt offered hopefully. "Blaine Anderson."

Ashley frowned. "Hmmm, That name's not familiar. What does he look like?"

Kurt sighed. He wished that he'd been able to find a photo of Blaine. He looked on Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace, but came up empty. There were no shots of him in any of the school newspapers, and he was too new at McKinley to be in any yearbook.

It was as though he never existed.

"Well… he's my age but he's pretty short. He's got curly black hair and big hazel eyes." Kurt explained thoughtfully.

The girl pondered for a moment but shook her head. "Not ringin' any bells… I'm sorry."

Kurt was deflated. He thought for sure that this might be his chance.

Just as he was about to turn away from the counter, a thought hit him.

"Triangular eyebrows! He's got these giant, bushy, weirdly-shaped triangular eyebrows!"

Ashley appeared surprised, but Kurt could physically see the look of recognition grow on her face seconds later.

"Oh my god! I totally know who you're talking about!" She said with a laugh. "He's only been in here a couple of times, but I'd never forget those eyebrows! Seriously dude… Get some tweezers!"

Kurt's heart leapt. "You know Blaine?"

"I don't know him at all actually, but he's been in here a couple times with some other guys. They were all wearing the same outfit. School uniform maybe?"

_Dalton._

Kurt cursed his stupidity.

_Of course Blaine would go back to Dalton! He basically told me that it was his safe haven. _

Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

"Oh my god Ashley! Thank you so much!" He handed the girl a ten-dollar bill. "Please keep the change!"

Kurt grabbed his coffee from the counter and all but ran out of the coffee shop, leaving the girl with pink hair standing behind the counter stunned but with a huge smile spread across her face.

Today, he was going to private school.

* * *

The entrance into Dalton Academy was impressive. Not unlike the mansion that Blaine's parents lived in, the building was designed by someone with expensive taste.

Kurt stepped out of his Navigator and brushed his hands down the pant legs of the grey trousers he donned. He'd made a quick trip home to research the school and to change into an outfit that better matched the school's assigned uniforms.

The Dalton website showed several photos of students wearing a navy blue blazer with red piping and grey trousers. The outfit was topped off with a blue and red striped necktie.

Kurt, thanks to his infinite array of fashionable outfits, was able to come quite close to matching the school uniform. He'd found a dark blue blazer, which he paired with a white dress shirt, and although he wasn't able to find a striped tie that would exactly match, he donned a bright red one.

He locked his car, took a deep breath and headed inside the intimidating looking structure.

After getting turned around several times, Kurt found himself walking in the same direction as a flood of other students. They all appeared excited, and were rushing quickly down a spiral staircase, so Kurt hiked his messenger bag higher up on his shoulder and followed the crowd.

As Kurt made his way down the intricately crafted staircase, he couldn't help but look around in awe.

A gorgeous round skylight filled the room with natural sunlight and multiple mirrors positioned on the walls reflected it throughout the area.

It was stunning.

As several more blazer-clad students rushed by him, Kurt heard mumblings of 'Warblers' and 'Senior Commons' and he could no longer withhold his curiosity. A tall brown-haired boy was sneaking past him on the staircase and he pulled off his sunglasses and decided to try his luck.

"Excuse me? Ummm… Hi. Can I ask you a question? I-I'm new here."

The brown-haired boy turned to look at Kurt and offered him a smile. "My name's Nick."

The teen reached his hand out and Kurt shook it with a surprised grin. "Kurt".

"Uhhh, so what exactly is going on?" Kurt asked, looking at the vast number of students still rushing down the staircase around him.

'The Warblers!" Nick exclaimed excitedly. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the Senior Commons. It tends to shut the school down for a while."

"So wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?" Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Nick grinned. "The Warblers are like… rockstars!"

Kurt looked doubtful.

"Come on." Nick said, nodding towards the bottom of the staircase. "I know a shortcut."

Kurt followed the taller teen through a gorgeous sitting room, complete with antique leather furniture and an expensive-looking chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A mural was painted on each of the walls and the floor was made of shiny marble. Kurt couldn't help but gawk around at the intricate designs and shook his head when he considered the sharp contrast to the often graffiti-littered hallways at McKinley.

Nick pushed open a heavy set of double wooden doors and led Kurt inside a room that was teeming with activity.

The Senior Commons room was filled with boys moving furniture and milling about. Most of them were wearing Dalton blazers, but some donned red vests over their white dress shirts. They all looked extremely excited.

"Ohhh, I stick out like a sore thumb," Kurt said, adjusting his messenger bag higher on his shoulder.

"Next time, don't forget your jacket, _new kid_." Nick said with a wink. "You'll fit right in."

He stepped back from Kurt and flashed him another brilliant smile, "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Suddenly, without warning, a chorus of acapella voices filled the air and Nick turned towards the group of Warblers and burst into a stirring rendition of 'Uptown Girl'.

Kurt watched in awe once again as the group of boys sang in perfect harmony and danced around the room in choreographed steps. But the sight that intrigued him the most was undoubtedly the excitement and encouragement from the rest of the Dalton students in attendance. They were cheering, dancing and singing along with the music – something that would never happen with the glee club at McKinley.

Nick hadn't been kidding – the Warblers _were_ considered rockstars by their fellow students.

The number ended several minutes later, with the group of performers laughing and congratulating each other.

Kurt stood in the doorway with a gigantic smile, clapping excitedly.

It was impossible not to see what Blaine had found so appealing about Dalton Academy.

* * *

"Latte?"

Kurt looked up nervously at the four boys sitting across from him at the small round table outside the Senior Commons room. He whispered a near-silent 'thank you' before accepting the paper cup from Nick.

"This is Wes, and David." Nick nodded his head first towards a young Asian teen and then to an African-American boy on the opposite side of him. "And this is Jeff." A lanky teen with blonde hair that was sitting immediately to Nick's left nodded towards Kurt with a smile.

Kurt couldn't help but notice that there was bruising around the blonde boy's left eye. Although it was covered up with concealer, some of the discoloration still peeked through; heavily contrasted against his pale skin. Kurt would never admit it to anyone, but he was a experienced professional at using make-up to cover bruises often left by jocks slamming him into the lockers at school. This boy had tried, but he had been unsuccessful in hiding the marks completely.

"It's very civilized for you to invite me for coffee before you beat me up for spying." Kurt said nervously.

"We're not going to beat you up." Wes admitted.

"You were such a terrible spy, we thought it was sort of… endearing." David smiled.

Nick took a gulp of his coffee and added with a sly grin, "Which made me think that spying on us wasn't really the reason you came."

Kurt glanced down at the cup of coffee in front of him. His stomach clenched slightly when his brain suddenly recalled the reason why he was at Dalton in the first place.

"Can I ask you guys a question?" He asked apprehensively.

After receiving a gentle nod from each of the boys, Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath.

"Do you guys know Blaine Anderson?"

Nick's eyebrows immediately rose on his forehead and Wes and David exchanged a look that Kurt couldn't quite interpret.

Kurt studied the facial expressions of each of the four uniformed teenagers in front of him, knowing full well that they all knew exactly who he was talking about.

Wes cleared his throat and began to speak, but Kurt wasn't surprised when, instead of answering the question, he redirected one right back to him.

"Where did you say you were from again?"

Kurt took a hesitant sip of his latte, taking his time while swallowing the hot liquid. "I go to McKinley High in Lima. Blaine is a student there now."

He didn't miss the miniscule look of surprise that appeared on Nick's face.

After several minutes of awkward silence, Kurt decided that he wasn't going to get anywhere by waiting for these boys to offer any information.

"Have you seen or heard from him lately?" Kurt asked, carefully observing the facial expressions of each of the boys for any hint of recollection.

The blonde boy, Jeff, looked to Nick with a worried glance and the taller teen quickly turned his head to avoid his glance, choosing to look down at his own cup of coffee in front of him instead.

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed as David and Wes exchanged yet another odd look.

_What is going on here? What are these guys hiding?_

"Listen." Kurt said, sitting up in his chair. "I don't know what is going on with you guys, but I think Blaine is in trouble. And, if you are his friends, I think you owe it to him to help me find him."

All four of the teenagers in front of Kurt looked shocked at his sudden audacity.

"In trouble…?" Jeff spoke for the first time and Kurt noted that his voice was highlighted with an accent of some sort. Australian maybe? "What kind of trouble?"

Kurt was relieved to have finally made some progress. He breathed a sigh of relief before continuing.

"I'm not exactly certain. He _was_ staying at my house and then… he took off the other night. I haven't seen him since."

"He was staying at your house?" Nick exclaimed. "But why wasn't he at…"

Nick's question was interrupted by a strategically placed (but not terribly subtle) kick under the table. He looked over to Wes, who was giving him a stern look of warning and a miniscule shake of his head.

He was obviously instructing Nick to stop talking.

Kurt didn't miss the exchange.

_Seriously? What is going on?_

"Please, if you guys know _anything_… you have to tell me. I'm really worried about him. He was… _hurt_ pretty bad when he left my place." Kurt couldn't hide the emotion that was laced in each of the words he spoke.

"Hurt?" Nick sounded genuinely concerned. "Hurt how? Did you…?"

This time it was Kurt himself that interrupted the brunette teen sitting across from him.

"No! It wasn't me. It was some guys from school, I think." He sighed, obviously frustrated. "I don't know… I-I just… I don't know anything anymore." Waves of devastation rolled off of Kurt's presence with every syllable.

Nick appeared as though he wanted to say something further, but a fleeting glare from both Wes and David caused him to quickly seal his lips together and remain silent.

Several more uncomfortable moments of silence passed before Kurt pushed his chair back from the table and stood up, obviously not impressed with the situation.

"I can't believe you guys! Blaine could be outside freezing to death right now and you guys don't even care." He scoffed, pushing his chair back underneath the table with more force than was necessary.

"Some friends you are."

Kurt turned around in disgust and walked out of the room without looking back. In his haste to leave however, he miscalculated his exit and ended up storming down an unfamiliar hallway and found himself lost in the depths of Dalton Academy. After finally resigning forty minutes later and asking a teacher, Kurt made his way out of the massive school and into the parking lot where his Navigator remained untouched.

After he had climbed into the driver's seat, his foul mood progressed further as he struggled with his seatbelt. The damn thing would just _not_ cooperate.

Moments before he would have exploded into a filthy string of expletives, he heard his name being called from somewhere behind him.

"Kurt! Kurt, wait up!"

Nick approached the driver's side window and Kurt rolled it down and looked out at the teenager, ready to let him have it at a moment's notice.

"Kurt! Phew! I'm glad I caught you." Nick declared, obviously out of breath. "I'm sorry about… back there. We're just… not allowed to talk about it."

Kurt scoffed. "Whatever Nick. If you don't want to help Blaine, fine. But get out of my way so I can."

Nick's face fell.

"I want to help." He said quietly. "I just… really _can't_ talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Kurt was growing irate.

"The…" Nick started to speak but then hesitated before lifting his head, looking around to ensure no one could be listening in and lowered his voice. "The Club."

"The club?" Kurt repeated doubtfully.

_What the actual fuck is this lunatic talking about?_

Nick shushed him (_Actually shushed him!)_ as he looked around once more. The teen looked completely paranoid.

If not for the severity of the situation, Kurt would likely have laughed at the lunacy of it all.

"Oh my god." Nick whispered. "Please… you have to promise not to tell anyone _anything_ that I'm about to say…"

Kurt sat there dumbfounded.

_Is this guy for real?_

Nick leaned into the window of the car and looked Kurt right in the eyes before gulping audibly.

"Blaine is my friend. He's a friend to all of us, but… we really _can't_ talk about the club."

Kurt closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "I don' t give a shit about this '_club'_." Kurt derided, using air quotes to spitefully enunciate his statement. "I just want to know if you've seen Blaine and if he's okay."

Nick hesitated. "He hasn't been around for a few weeks."

_Now we're getting somewhere._

"Did you notice anything weird with him last time you saw him?" Kurt asked.

Another moment of hesitation.

"He seemed… off." Nick said slowly. "He finally seemed comfortable and looked happy for the first time since he transferred here last year, but after he got kicked out, he kinda just… fell off the radar."

"Kicked out?" Kurt asked, lifting an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Oh god, I shouldn't be telling you this." Nick said, once again looking around the vacant parking lot nervously.

Kurt sighed.

_Here we go again._

"Please?"

"His parents kicked him out." Nick announced flatly. "Like three months ago or something."

Kurt's stomach dropped.

Mr. Anderson hadn't been lying; he really hadn't seen Blaine.

"He showed up at Dalton the week before classes were suppose to start at the beginning of September but the Dean said that his father had suspended his tuition or something, so he couldn't go to school here anymore."

"That's why he came to McKinley." Kurt said dazedly.

_It made perfect sense. Why else would he give up an amazing school like Dalton? He didn't have a choice._

"Why did he get kicked out?" Kurt asked. "I thought his parents knew he was gay years ago?"

Nick gulped. "He never really went into specifics. I think he was kind of ashamed about it or something. But I overheard him telling Wes that it had to do with a guy from his dad's office."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… Jeremiah? I think that was his name. He was an intern at Mr. Anderson's law office. When Blaine went home for summer break last June, his dad made him work for him at the office. Apparently he and Jeremiah hit it off right away; they started hanging out and became good friends. But I guess one night he had too much to drink and got a little _friendly_ with Blaine and it freaked him out. He said he told his parents, but they didn't believe him. I guess the Jeremiah guy made some accusations about Blaine to cover his own closeted-ass and one thing led to another, including Mr. Anderson losing it on Blaine and accusing him of dragging the Anderson name through the mud. I don't think he approves of the gay lifestyle."

_Ya think?_

Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had Blaine ever had good luck with _anything_?

"So… Let me get this straight." Kurt articulated. "Blaine transferred here from his public school after he got bullied and attacked two years ago. He attended Dalton all last year, but went home over the summer and then he got kicked out of his own house."

"Yep. Pretty much." Nick said. "Shitty deal hey?"

"You're not kidding." Kurt exclaimed. "So… If he got kicked out in August, where has he been in the meantime? It's November now. Where has he been staying?"

"Not sure." Nick replied with a shrug. "I offered him a ride home last time I saw him, but he said he'd just walk. I remember that because we were down in Lima Heights Adjacent and I was worried about him walking alone down there. That place gives me the creeps."

_Lima Heights Adjacent. Near Abby's Bakery no doubt._

"I think he said he was staying at a hotel or something, but I can't imagine he's still there. I don't know how he'd ever afford it." Nick offered.

Kurt thought to himself for a minute. "You don't know of anyone he might be staying with?

"I guess he could be at Sebastian's." Nick's voice lowered to barely above a whisper and Kurt almost missed the name at the end of the statement.

"Who the fuck is Sebastian?" Kurt exclaimed. This was getting ridiculous.

"He's… well… umm… He's Blaine's boyfriend."

_Oh._

_Well that changes things._

* * *

Kurt and Nick had talked for several more minutes before a worried Jeff had come running out of the school towards them. Nick looked terrified that he'd been caught talking with Kurt but when he realized that Jeff was alone, he calmed considerably.

Whatever it was that these boys were hiding, it must have been serious. Kurt had never seen a group of more paranoid teenagers. It was borderline freaky.

Before Kurt got the chance to ask Nick anything more about this 'Sebastian', Jeff had grabbed the boy by the hand and led him back into school, muttering something about 'not wanting to risk getting caught.'

Kurt watched as the pair of teens walked hand in hand back into the school. Every few steps, he noticed that Nick would casually glance over to the blonde boy with a genuine look of…love… in his eyes.

_Wait…were they… together?_

The quick, yet tender kiss the pair shared upon entering the school answered his question.

_They weren't afraid to show their classmates that they were together? There was no fear in expressing their relationship?_

Kurt sighed as he buckled his seatbelt and started the Navigator.

_Was there a downside to Dalton Academy?_

* * *

Kurt didn't like the idea of scouring through the dodgy neighborhood on the east end of town. Nick was dead on; Lima Heights Adjacent definitely gave him the creeps. But he knew that if he wanted to track down Blaine, this was the only lead he had up to this point.

He spent the remainder of the afternoon searching hotels and motels in the area - each slightly more disgusting than the last. At one point, a creepy hotel manager had even solicited Kurt, asking him to "stick around for the evening".

Kurt had left the vicinity immediately.

_This neighborhood was bad news. What the hell was Blaine doing down here?_

According to Google Maps, there was one last place that Kurt wanted to check out before calling it a night.

The 'Sunrise Motel' was a dive to say the least. It was a one level building with outside access only and consisted of about thirty rooms. The light blue paint was peeling off the side of the building and the roof looked as though it had not been repaired in years. Kurt shuddered when he considered what the _inside_ of the rooms might look like.

Just as he had been doing all afternoon, Kurt parked outside the office and locked the Navigator before walking inside. Once to the front desk, he rang the tiny silver bell sitting on the dusty countertop and waited patiently until the manager appeared.

The man that appeared from the back room looked as though he hadn't showered in weeks, and the putrid smell that permeated inside the tiny office only accentuated Kurt's hypothesis.

"Need a room?" The crusty old man said. He looked about fifty, but Kurt doubted he was any older than mid thirties.

"Ummm… no thank you. I'm just wondering if you can tell me if my friend is staying here. Blaine Anderson?"

For the first time all afternoon, the man behind the desk raised an eyebrow as Kurt spoke.

"Never heard of him."

_Bullshit_.

"He's my age. Much shorter though, and he has curly black hair."

"How do you know him?"

Kurt felt like he might be sick.

_Oh my god. Surely to Christ he isn't actually staying here. _

"Ummm… my name is Kurt. I'm a friend from school."

The man grunted what sounded like 'uh huh' while thoroughly looking Kurt up and down.

He immediately felt the need to take a long and very hot shower.

"You his new boyfriend?"

_Oh god this is awful._

"No. Is he here?"

_Please, just let him be here so I can take him far away from this shithole._

"Nope." The man grunted again. Kurt noticed that his teeth were yellow and there were bits of chewing tobacco wedged in between each of them. His stomach churned once again.

"Haven't seen him." The man added.

"When was he here last?"

"Dunno. Couple night ago maybe?" The man slurred. Kurt was almost certain he was drunk. "Why do _you_ wanna know?"

"I'm just looking to track him down. Can you tell me which room he's in? I'll leave him a note." Kurt wanted to get the information and get out before his stomach betrayed him and he threw up all over the place. Not that it would ruin anything of value in this disgusting hellhole.

"No can do." The man said with a sickening smile. "Privacy rules 'round here forbid me from giving out that information."

"Can I leave a note with you to give him then?"

"If you like. I'll drop it by his room tonight." The man ran his filthy tongue over his chapped lips and over his gums.

Kurt wanted to vomit.

The man handed him a piece of paper and he quickly scrawled out a note.

_Blaine,_

_Please come back. _

_I'm sorry._

_Kurt_

"Did you two have a lover's quarrel or somethin'?" The man jeered, reading the note over Kurt's shoulder.

He quickly backed away from the counter and folded up the note.

"Please give this to him if you see him." Kurt uttered and he rushed out the door into the fresh air where he began hyperventilating.

_Blaine was here? _

_Why would he stay here? That man is a disgusting creep! Surely Blaine would prefer to stay at my house instead of this… dump._

Instead of getting in his car and driving away, Kurt climbed in and pulled the car around the building and parked on the street; out of view from the office, but still in a position that Kurt could see if the man left or not.

He watched for several minutes before sure enough, the manager walked out of the office, looked around and headed down the hallway of the motel with Kurt's note in his grimy hand. He stopped in front of Room #14 and knocked on the door. Kurt was unable to hear whether or not anyone answered, but noticed that the manager turned the knob on the door and walked right in.

_Was Blaine in there right now? _

_Why hadn't he locked the door in a neighborhood like this?_

Kurt waited for several minutes until he saw the manager reappear from inside the room, this time without the note in his hand.

_That had to be Blaine's room!_

The disgusting pig of a man sauntered slowly back up the open hallway and into the office once again.

_Oh my god! He could be in there right now! _

Kurt's heart began thumping out of his chest.

_Hold on Blaine! I'm coming!_

Kurt decided to play it safe and wait until after sunset before approaching the room. He didn't want to risk the chance that the creepy manager might catch him sneaking in. He remained in the Navigator, with the doors locked and his eyes glued to the door labeled #14 in case Blaine came out.

About ninety minutes later, Kurt decided to make his move. He climbed out of the car, locked it once again, and slowly made his way up to the motel. He snuck into the hallway at the end of the row of rooms and treaded carefully up the old wooden planks leading towards the room he sought out.

Once in front of Room # 14, Kurt gathered his courage, swallowed his fear, and knocked on the door.

Nothing.

He waited for several minutes before knocking once again. He risked a look towards the office, hoping with all his might that there were no security cameras on the premises.

Kurt doubted that a dump like this could afford security cameras.

As he stood in front of the door, waiting impatiently, a series of terrified thoughts struck Kurt.

_What if this wasn't even Blaine's room? What if someone else answers the door? What am I going to say?_

Still nothing.

It appeared as though no one was home.

Kurt decided to press his luck and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly.

It was open.

_He was right! The door wasn't even locked!_

Kurt wasn't sure if that development made him more or less uncomfortable.

He slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside.

It was dark.

And dingy.

And smelly.

"Hello?" He called out cautiously. "Blaine? Anyone home?"

Nothing.

Kurt opened the door completely and stepped inside. He turned around to lock it behind him only to realize that the lock on the door was damaged.

He couldn't lock the door even if he tried.

When he turned the light switch on by the door, a lamp in the corner of the room emitted a tiny bit of dim yellow light and the sight that met Kurt's eyes was not at all what he was expecting.

The room was extremely neat and tidy. Aside from the damp smell and the lack of light, it was fairly well kept and organized.

A pair of worn red boxing gloves hung over the mirror in front of the makeshift desk, which had a neatly stacked pile of textbooks laying on top of it and a familiar looking messenger bag laying on the floor next to an old wooden chair.

An ancient-looking guitar sat in the in corner next to the bed, displayed proudly on a small metal stand.

Kurt walked a few more steps into the room and saw that on the counter by the sink sat a pair of small red towels.

McKinley Titan towels.

Next to them, lay a familiar bag of toiletries and a neatly stacked pile of clothes. Designer clothes.

Kurt's own clothes.

With his heart hammering inside his chest, Kurt stepped towards the neatly made bed and looked on the nightstand.

Kurt gasped, and couldn't prevent the tears that began to fall when his eyes landed upon the items laying on the nightstand.

A paper cup from the Lima Bean with 'Medium drip' and a smiley face scrawled on the side in black ink, an old-looking pocket watch that looked vaguely familiar, and a bracelet made from dry braided blades of grass.

Blaine had kept all of the seemingly meaningless items from each of the times they were together.

The coffee cup from that day in the Lima Bean and the same bracelet Kurt had fashioned that afternoon in the Elementary School courtyard under the oak tree. The same afternoon that Blaine had come out at school after protecting him from Karofsky and Azimio in the boy's bathroom.

If he'd found these items in anyone else's possession, the word 'stalker' might come to mind, but since it was Blaine, Kurt found the act somewhat endearing.

He picked up the antique silver pocket watch and brought it up to his ear.

It still ticked away.

_Old and tarnished, but still perfectly beautiful._

He set the watch back down on the nightstand in the exact same position as he'd found it.

There was a tiny refrigerator against the wall by the desk.

Kurt opened it up and wasn't surprised to see not much staring back out at him. A few bottles of water and a package of cheese slices.

Not much at all.

There was a narrow closet on the far wall of the room. Kurt snuck over to it and gently pried open the door, which was hanging slightly off its hinges.

Several articles of clothing stared back at him; a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee shared a hanger with a grey hoodie, a red McKinley Titans number sixteen game jersey, and… a navy blue Dalton blazer.

Kurt gently ran his fingers over the thick fabric of the blazer and down the red piping. His mind wandered as he considered all that might have transpired involving the boy wearing the jacket.

Blaine had made it seem as though some of his best memories had been while he'd attended Dalton.

If Kurt's brief experience at the school had been any indication, he could easily understand why.

It seemed as though the students at the school were all very accepting.

Aside from the odd, secretive behavior from the group of Warblers, Kurt had felt… welcomed and even _safe_ inside the walls of the grand building.

He soundlessly replaced the blazer-clad hanger back into the narrow closet and closed the door.

Kurt stuck his head inside the door leading to the bathroom. The walls were painted a light mint green color and the mirror above the sink was cracked down the middle.

Even with the light bulb being burned out, Kurt could see the shape of the bathtub and noted that a grimy layer of dirt and… whatever else… made up a ring around the inside of the porcelain. The faucet was rusted and caked with a white alkaline-looking substance.

The tub was obviously not in working order.

A realization struck Kurt.

_The weight room. The shower. The shaving kit._

Blaine had been using the showers at school because he didn't have one at home.

If you could even consider calling this a 'home.'

The toiletries that Karofsky and Azimio had destroyed that day in the gym room, were likely all that Blaine had.

No wonder he was so appreciative when Kurt had offered to share his own.

Kurt sadly walked back out of the dingy bathroom and stared around the tiny motel room once again before stepping back over to the desk.

Beside the stack of textbooks was an old rotary phone.

Cautiously, Kurt picked up the receiver and brought it up to his ear.

Nothing. No dial tone.

Not even the phone was operational here.

Also on the desk was a pile of papers.

Kurt picked them up and was shocked to see that there was a page ripped out from an old issue of the school newspaper. It was the front-page article that featured the McKinley Titans celebrating their first win last season. The photo accompanying the article showed a happy bunch of teenagers, holding a tiny boy dressed in football gear over their shoulders in celebration.

It was Kurt.

The day he'd won the football game with his field goal.

The page was creased, as though it had been kept in a pocket, or maybe a wallet for quite some time.

Next in the stack of papers was another page torn from what appeared to be a newspaper. Only this time it wasn't; it was a page torn from a phone book.

The 'Hummel Tires and Lube' ad stared back at Kurt and another tear fell from his face when he realized that Blaine had had the means to call his father's shop but had chosen not to.

He also found a business card belonging to Coach Beiste.

_Blaine had had both numbers. Why hadn't he called for help?_

At the bottom of the stack of pages was a letter. The return address was from somewhere in Ohio that Kurt had never heard of before, but he noted that the postmark was from several years prior. The envelope was addressed in neat cursive to Blaine Anderson.

It was official. He'd found him.

Blaine had been living in this filthy motel since god knows when.

Kurt suddenly found himself sitting on the bed, holding the tear-stained letter in his hands. It didn't feel right to open it and read it, so he just sat there, staring at the name on the envelope in silence.

Poor Blaine.

He really was alone.

He'd put on such a brave face at school, but all this time he'd been living in this lonely old motel room with a nasty old motel manager watching his every move.

Poor Blaine.

Kurt sat in silence for an unknown amount of time until the sudden shrill of his cell phone ringtone startled him so much, he nearly fell off the bed.

_Burt Hummel Calling_

"Oh shit!" Kurt exclaimed once he'd caught his breath.

He'd never told his dad where he'd been all day. Surely the school would have phoned looking for him this morning when he failed to show up for class.

He swiped his finger across the lock icon and held the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?" He answered quietly. He still didn't have any desire to get caught by the motel manager.

"Kurt? That you?" He heard his dad's voice speaking frantically into the other end of the line. "Where the hell have you been all day?"

"Uhhh…" Kurt started.

_How much should I tell him?_

"You're out looking for Blaine again aren't you?"

"Yes, but…" Kurt started. He racked his brain to think of a decent excuse. He knew his dad was going to fly off the handle.

"Did you find him?"

_Or not. _

Kurt remained silent.

_How is dad not actually freaking out about this?_

"Damn it." Burt's voice sounded stressed. "You didn't, did you?"

Kurt was just about to answer when he heard voices approaching from outside the motel room door.

"Shit! I gotta go! Call you later." Kurt quickly ended the phone conversation and jumped up from the bed. He ran over and put the papers back in their original place on the desk and was about to head for the door when he saw a shadow pass by the window and stop in front of the door.

Sheer panic flooded through his veins as he desperately looked around the room.

The closet!

He quickly tiptoed silently to the closet and jumped inside, pulling he door closed behind him, just as the front door into the motel room swung open.

"I see you haven't gotten that lock fixed yet." An unfamiliar voice rang out.

Kurt froze.

_That wasn't Blaine's voice!_

_Who was out there?_

He held his breath and brought his hand up and covered his lips, subconsciously hoping to muffle any sounds that may threaten to escape.

He looked around in the darkness of the closet. The only source of light inside the tiny space was filtering in from the crack between the door and the frame where Kurt had failed to close it completely.

Too late now.

He wasn't going to chance squeaky hinges.

A sudden thought hit him and his panic increased exponentially. What if Burt called him back?

Kurt couldn't risk his cell phone ringing right now, so with practiced ease, he reached around the side of the device with his graceful fingers and carefully switched on the 'mute' button.

He slowly released the breath he'd been holding, while trying desperately to control his panicked respirations.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

_Idiot! What were you thinking?_

He was so afraid of being caught that his brain was reeling with possibilities.

_Who was it? The creepy manager?_

_What would they do if they found him?_

Millions of scenarios raced through his mind, each increasingly more morbid than the last.

For a brief second, Kurt almost giggled out loud when he realized the irony of his situation.

_Of course the gay kid would choose to hide in a closet. _

He struggled to maintain his composure until a second voice filled the room.

"I've asked for it to be fixed a dozen times, but the manager won't do anything about it."

_Blaine._

Kurt's eyes widened.

_Blaine was here._

A sudden surge of emotion flooded through his veins: relief, happiness, curiosity, and exhaustion.

Kurt had to fight the urge to burst out of the closet and gather the boy in his arms and hold him in a tight embrace.

'_Cuz that would just be awkward._

Instead, he turned his head and strained to hear the conversation that was being held only mere feet away. He tried to peek through the tiny crack in the door, but all he could see were shadows dancing slowly on the walls of the motel room.

"Jesus B, This place is a shit hole."

No reply.

There were a few more minutes of silence before the unfamiliar voice spoke up again. "What's with the guitar?"

"Please be careful with it… it's…"

Blaine was interrupted as the teenager with an annoyingly nasal voice scoffed. "Fuckin' old?"

"It was my grandpa's." Blaine added slowly. He sounded mildly annoyed.

Kurt could hear the other boy replace the ancient guitar on its metal stand and walk towards the desk.

"When are you gonna be able to go again?"

Blaine shrugged. "Dunno. My shoulder is still pretty messed up."

"I still can't believe Jeff pulled that off last night. I totally didn't see that coming."

Blaine smiled. "I told you not to underestimate him."

"Did you see Trent's face? Ha! That prancy-ass little bitch couldn't believe it either."

Blaine shot the taller teen an unimpressed look. "Don't call him that. He's a nice guy."

"He's a loser."

Blaine scoffed. "Of course. How could I forget? No one is nearly as _cool_ as the great Sebastian Smythe."

"You know it, babe."

Kurt's blood ran cold.

_Sebastian. _

Kurt strained his neck further, trying desperately to peek out the crack to get a look at the second occupant of the motel room.

His eyes scanned across the room and came to rest on a tall, thin boy dressed in the familiar blue Dalton blazer.

_That's Sebastian? _

Kurt couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealously as his eyes roamed up the boy's long frame.

What the _hell_ could Blaine possibly see in this guy?

He wasn't even attractive.

_At all._

His uniform was ill fitted; the trousers hemmed too short for the shoes he was wearing.

And what the hell was up with that obnoxious CW hairstyle?

_He looks like he just stepped out of filming an episode of 90210 or something. _

His smirky little face reminded Kurt of a meerkat. And his cocky voice matched it perfectly.

_He's even less impressive in the flesh._

Kurt had to consciously muffle a disgusted snort as he watched the boy open his mouth to say something to Blaine. However, he couldn't make out the words that Sebastian said, because he was distracted by the other teen's giant horse teeth.

_I bet that criminal chipmunk even smells like craigslist._

A disgusted scowl remained on Kurt's face as he stood inside the dingy closet listening to the conversation playing out in front of him.

"They miss you, ya know." Sebastian added after several minutes of indistinct chatter.

Blaine looked up from what he was doing.

"At the club." Sebastian derided. "The Warblers just won't shut up about you."

Kurt's scowl intensified.

_Sebastian is a Warbler? _

_How could something that ugly possibly sing well enough to be in a show choir?_

Kurt had still not been able to get a visual on Blaine, as the boy was seated out of his line of sight on the bed across the room but his silence had not gone unnoticed.

"Oh, come on B, you know you're the best in the bunch." Sebastian drawled. "Besides me of course."

Kurt could almost hear Blaine's eyes roll.

"You should come back."

Again, Blaine looked up from the floor. "You know that's not an option."

"I'm sure we could work something out with the Dean."

"I'm pretty sure my dad fucked up any chance of me getting back into Dalton Seb." Blaine replied.

No answer.

Kurt's stomach clenched at the tone of Blaine's voice. He sounded both devastated and sarcastic simultaneously. He wished he could just step out of the closet and push Sebastard (_ahem_…!) Sebastian out the door and give Blaine the big hug that he so deserved.

"God Blaine…" Sebastian continued his tirade. "This place is so… _lower class_. Why don't you just stay at my place?"

Blaine looked up at the taller teen with wide eyes but didn't answer.

"It's a pain in the ass for me to have to bring you back here each night." Sebastian wined. "And this place is a fucking dump. You could… _catch_ something here."

Blaine's eyes widened further and a look of horror crossed his face. Sebastian however, didn't even notice.

"I-I stay here because it's close to my work." Blaine stuttered.

"That shit hole bakery?"

"Yeah, I've been getting shifts there almost every day after school."

Kurt frowned.

_Lie. _

_Abby hasn't seen you in weeks, Blaine._

Sebastian didn't reply so Blaine continued on with his fabricated story.

"Plus, this _dump_ is much closer to my new school. I've been going to class early every day for some extra credit work."

Kurt lifted his head.

_Lie number two. _

"You're such a fuckin' nerd." Sebastian jeered.

"Shut up." Blaine retorted. "I can't screw up another year of school Seb. I'm already a year behind. Plus my coach says if I miss another practice I'm off the team. Football is my ticket outta this town, I'm not going to risk losing it."

_Lie number three._

_You haven't been to practice in almost two weeks._

"That fat Puerto Rican momma must be shelling out for you then." Sebastian mocked several minutes later. "This luxurious establishment must cost at _least_ five or six dollars a night."

Kurt could only imagine the sour look that would have crossed Blaine's face at that moment.

"Her name is Abby, and don't call her that." Blaine growled. "She's Hispanic and she's… amazing. She has been more of a mom than…"

"Okay stop." Sebastian interrupted. "Let's skip the emotional daddy issues conversation. I'm not your personal Doctor Phil."

Kurt narrowed his eyes.

_Asshole_.

Blaine was quiet for several minutes, obviously distraught from Sebastian's ignorant comments.

"Does your shoulder hurt?"

Blaine shrugged slightly. "Not as much as before."

"Wanna mess around?" Sebastian wiggled his eyebrows in a not-so-terribly-sexy fashion.

Blaine hesitated before looking at his watch. "It's getting late."

"Blaine. It's like 8pm. I don't think you're going to turn into a pumpkin or anything."

"I just don't really feel like it. I'm tired."

"Always with the excuses." Sebastian grumbled. "I thought you liked my big dick."

Kurt nearly dropped his phone and fell out of the closet.

_Jesus Christ._

"Can't we just… talk?" Blaine sounded desperate.

Sebastian moved out of Kurt's line of vision and he could hear the springs of the bed protest as the he'd obviously joined Blaine.

"Babe, you can talk all you want while I'm thrusting… that would be hot."

"Sebastian." Blaine warned.

"Fuck, I love it when you say my name."

"Knock it off. You're disgusting." Blaine literally sounded revolted.

Kurt was having a difficult time maintaining his composure.

_Oh god, please do not have sex while I'm in the room. _

"Please…" Blaine sounded as though he was trying to push Sebastian off of him, "Just stop."

"Mmmm, I like it even more when you beg."

By this point, Kurt was literally freaking out. He had no desire to stand in the closet if the two teens were going to… be… _intimate_, but from the sounds of things, Blaine had no desire to even _be_ intimate at all.

"Sebastian, I said stop."

Kurt could hear the sound of sloppy kisses being placed _somewhere,_ and it made is stomach churn.

"Why? Are you still sore from me pounding you into the mattress last night?"

The acidic taste of bile rose in Kurt's throat.

_I so did not need to hear that._

"I just thought that since you did that last night, tonight we could just… hang out or something."

Blaine's voice was much quieter and sounded significantly younger than it had only minutes before.

Sebastian laughed. "I vote for the 'or something'."

More sloppy slurping sounds.

"Sebastian stop. Please. I don't want…Mmmpphh"

Blaine's voice became muffled. It sounded as though he was trying to speak with a hand covering his mouth.

"Shhhhh stop talking. For someone with such a great voice, it sure gets annoying in a hurry."

Kurt was growing angry.

_Leave him alone._

He heard rustling of blankets and suddenly Blaine's unadulterated voice could be heard once again.

"Get off!"

"Mmmm Blaine. I like it when you fight back."

Kurt was absolutely furious.

_If this fucking chipmunk doesn't back off right quickly, I'm going to be forced to burst out of the closet and enter 'gay superman to the rescue' mode._

A heavy thud interrupted Kurt's action plan.

Blaine had fallen on the floor trying to get out from underneath the heavier teen.

"Sebastian, stop it."

"Why? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I-I just can't tonight, okay?"

"What do you mean, you can't."

Blaine looked at his watch. "I just can't alright? I don't want to."

"What?" Sebastian's tone changed from annoyed to infuriated. "What do you mean you don't want to?"

Blaine cowered away. He knew this tone. Things tended to go south when this tone was brought into play.

Sebastian advanced on him. "What? Are you getting some from somewhere else?"

Blaine's eyes grew huge. "N-no… I-I…"

"Are you fucking around behind my back? Is that why you keep checking your watch? Are you waiting for me to leave so you can go meet your next fuck in the back alley?"

Blaine backed away from Sebastian until, for the first time since they'd entered the room together, he was positioned within Kurt's line of vision.

Kurt's stomach dropped when he saw how terrified Blaine looked. He had both hands out in front of his face in a protective stance and was continually backing away from the taller teen.

Sebastian took several quick steps forward and grabbed onto Blaine's left wrist. "Answer me!"

Blaine whimpered at the rough contact. "Y-you're hurting my arm!"

"I'll break it. Answer the question."

Tears were freely flowing from Blaine's still slightly discolored face. But he said nothing.

Kurt clenched his iPhone in his hand.

_Should I call 9-1-1?_

_There's no way I can take that kid on by myself. He'd crush me._

Sebastian tightened his grip and Blaine couldn't withhold the second, more painful sounding whimper that escaped his lips.

"You fucking slut!" Sebastian roared. "It's true isn't it?"

"No!" Blaine sobbed. "I swear, there's no one else. Please don't be mad."

Sebastian abruptly dropped Blaine's wrist and turned his back to the trembling teenager. "I don't need his shit. If you're going to be a cocktease and not even put out, I'm fucking leaving."

"No! Please!" Blaine's tone transitioned from terrified to desperate at an alarming rate. "Please don't go!"

Once again Blaine stepped out of Kurt's line of vision as he rushed to catch Sebastian before he could leave.

"I'm sorry! It's my fault! Please don't go!" He begged. "You can do whatever you want… just please, don't leave me here."

Kurt's heart sunk.

_Why is he acting like this? One minute ago he was trying to push Sebastian off of him, and now it's like he's terrified to be left alone. What is going on?_

"What the fuck is your problem?" Sebastian countered. "Why are you acting like such a big baby?"

Blaine was so upset that he was unable to speak coherent sentences. Tears were still streaming down his cheeks as he reached for Sebastian's arm.

"Fuck." Sebastian shook his head. "What the fuck dude? You didn't use to be so needy."

"I-I'm sorry." Blaine sobbed. "I just don't want to be alone."

"I don't need this shit." Sebastian shrugged off Blaine's hand from his own arm and turned to leave.

"No!" Blaine shouted, reaching once more to grab onto any piece of Sebastian that he could find.

"Fuck! Just leave me alone!" Sebastian turned back and quickly brought up both of his hands and shoved Blaine with brute force.

The much smaller boy sailed through the air and crashed into the bedside table before landing on the floor in a heap.

Kurt jumped when he heard the crash and his heart began pounding even harder once he heard the door slam closed and the silence set in.

_What the fuck just happened?_

* * *

Blaine was lying on the floor by the bed, still sobbing uncontrollably into the mold-infested carpet.

His shoulder ached and his ribs burned as though they were on fire and he was shaking so violently that it almost looked as though he was having a seizure.

He didn't hear the gentle footsteps approach him from his left, so when a careful hand was placed onto his back, he jumped dramatically.

Blaine shot up from his position on the floor and shoved his hands in front of him, desperately pushing Kurt away from him.

"Shhhh Blaine. It's only me." Kurt whispered, strategically dodging the flailing limbs of the panicked boy in front of him. "It's only me."

Blaine gasped, choking on the air that was lacking in his system and sat straight up, ignoring the intense wave of pain that shot up his torso.

"Wh- wh-… But… Wh…" He stuttered. He was in such a state of shock that he was literally unable to speak.

"Shhhhhh," Kurt cooed again softly. "It's okay. You're safe now. He's gone."

Blaine's eyes were wider than Kurt had ever seen them before. They were swollen and red from crying.

"K-Kurt?"

Kurt did his best to force a smile onto his face. "Yeah… it's me."

"But… why? How…?"

Kurt thought for a moment.

_How the hell am I going to explain this one?_

"It doesn't matter." Kurt whispered, returning his hand to Blaine's back. "I'm here now okay? You're going to be alright."

Blaine lost it.

"P-please don't let him hurt me again."

Blaine looked up from the floor, causing Kurt's heart to shatter as the endless depths of hopelessness and despair that filled Blaine's eyes began to pour down his cheeks.

It was as though the floodgates opened up and the dam burst.

Kurt had never believed it was possible to cry so many tears and not turn into a shriveled up old raisin.

Blaine remained an arms length away from Kurt and he was trembling so hard that Kurt could hear his teeth chattering.

Kurt cocked his head slightly to the side and gave Blaine the most honest and loving look he could provide.

Blaine, unable to speak, only shook his head.

Kurt didn't care. Blaine needed this.

_He_ needed this.

Slowly, Kurt leaned in to the other boy and opened his arms wide.

Blaine, finally understanding what Kurt was offering, took one last devastated glance into Kurt's trusting eyes and threw himself into the open arms.

Kurt's eyes fell closed as the sobbing mess of a boy fell into him with full force. He had to brace himself on his knees on the hard, unforgiving floor to prevent them both from toppling over.

He reached his left arm around Blaine's torso and gently brought it up and rubbed soothing circles into the top of Blaine's back between his shoulder blades. His right arm snaked around and he allowed his long fingers to caress their way into the curly black locks of hair on Blaine's head.

Blaine adjusted his position, forcing himself even closer into Kurt's tight embrace and nestled his face into the spot between Kurt's neck and collarbone.

Kurt could feel Blaine's arms reach around his back and pull him in even closer, solidifying the embrace. He could also feel the never-ending river of tears that were streaming down Blaine's face and onto his own body.

Kurt held the sobbing boy in his arms with every ounce of strength he could muster and rocked them back and forth on the rotting, disgusting floor of the Sunrise Motel.

"It's going to be okay." He repeated over and over, not unlike a mantra. He wasn't sure if his words were meant to sooth Blaine or convince himself, but they continued to tumble out of his mouth as he hung on to Blaine for dear life.

"I'm here now. It's going to be okay."


	22. The Depths of My Sin

**Author's Note:**

**What's this? Another update?! So soon?**

**(Did I mention that I'm so happy to be done school?) ;)**

** I desperately needed to get this chapter out of my head…**

**This is where it all began. This chapter started it all… **

**Prepare yourselves… this one is even more angsty than the rest… **

**Please don't hate me…**

* * *

**Also – I want to mention that I have a Twitter Account as well as Tumblr. Look me up – Ryleigh Hayle**

* * *

**Ch. 21 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – You're amazing. Your words are amazing. You inspire me. I have no more words but - **THANK YOU!**

**WritingGeek27116** – Excellent review! Once again, you made me laugh hysterically. I can seriously picture you freaking out and throwing things as you read each chapter. That makes me so happy. I try to create the "holy shit" factor when I write… I think, according to your reviews… that I have succeeded! Thanks so much!

**DrocoCriss** – Blaine needs all the hugs he can get right now. Yours was graciously accepted. ;)

**(Guest) Melinda** – Awwwww! Thanks for reviewing! Here's the update you asked for!

**Mzjem **– Thanks! I appreciate that so much! Here is your next chapter! ENJOY!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Yaaaay! New reviewer! Thanks so much for your kind words! Sorry that it took so long for the update!

**Msdarque** – Thanks for your review! Yes, I'm glad that Kurt finally tracked him down as well! Took him long enough… ;)

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Love the user name by the way… Yes, this story is a painful one. Better times are on the way I assure you, but lots of angsty stuff to sort through first… Thanks for reading and reviewing my story!

**CLK3** - Thanks for your reviews! Ch. 4 is one of my favourites! And I appreciate your kind words – you inspire me to continue writing!

**Jittermeenz** – I still can't believe I made you cry in class… please don't fall behind in school cuz you're busy reading my fanfics… (Although I totally think that's awesome…)

**Jay Li Matsuda** – I'm glad you approve of my 'use' of the Dalton boys! I thought it would add a little dimension to my story if I involved a few more characters… Yes, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about this 'club' of theirs, aren't there… ;)

**Klainer96 – **Welcome back! Missed you! Thanks for your reviews! Yeah… there were some crazy twists and turns in the last couple chapters… hold on to your hat… There are more to come… ;)

**Purpleview** – Awwwww! Thank you! I'm glad this is one of your favourites! It's been so much fun to write! I have so many more ideas bubbling around inside my head! Also – thank you for your feedback about domestic abuse. It really is a huge problem and something I wish would be dealt with more effectively worldwide. I believe that by bringing attention to it (via fiction or otherwise), more efforts may be made to put a stop to it!

***SIDE NOTE*** If anyone is having trouble at home, abuse-related or otherwise, please know that **~you are not alone~** Please get help or talk to someone (even me!) about it! There is always something that can be done, no matter how difficult things may seem!

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

XOXO

-RH

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter contains scenes of violence, course language and explicit non-consensual sexual acts. **

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 22

Kurt wasn't sure how long he'd been kneeling on the motel room floor with Blaine held firmly in his arms.

He wasn't sure how it was even possible that Blaine could have any tears left to cry.

He wasn't even sure if the boy was still awake. Obviously exhausted from his emotional release, Blaine remained silent except for several gut-wrenching sobs which cut through the silence, each sending a pang through Kurt's chest, ripping his soul into thousands of tiny fragments.

Kurt wasn't sure if he should call an ambulance, or the police… or his dad.

All he was certain of was the fact that he'd lost feeling in his toes long ago. It was beyond the point of pins and needles; there was no sensation left at all.

He was numb.

And he couldn't even be sure if it was due to the lack of circulation to his lower extremities, or from the fact that seeing Blaine in such a horrible, vulnerable state had dissolved any assurance that everything would ever be okay again.

In fact, he wasn't sure of anything at all anymore.

Several more minutes passed without a sound coming from the tiny, frail boy in his arms and Kurt decided that it was time he took action. If he didn't wiggle his toes soon, he might never be able to again.

He slowly removed his hand from its position on Blaine's arm, where his fingers had been slowly drawing indistinct patterns into the back of the boy's bruised wrist and brought it up to support his head.

Kurt winced as he lifted Blaine's dead weight slowly up off his lap and pulled his legs out from underneath him, allowing him to sit directly on the floor on his rear end. As the blood began to pool back into his legs, the tingling sensation commenced and he released a deep breath.

He lifted the snoozing boy back into his lap, while still maintaining his iron-firm grip around Blaine's torso.

Now that he finally had him back, Kurt didn't have any intention of letting him go any time soon.

With Blaine's head nestled completely in his lap, Kurt brought his hand up and cupped the boy's cheek, gently running his thumb across his cheekbone and over his lips, removing a trail of salty tear tracks as he went. He continued to rock him, gently swaying to a silent lullaby, for several minutes until Blaine began to stir.

At first, Blaine leaned into Kurt's touch for the briefest of moments, before suddenly turning his head away from him and pulling back out of the embrace, cowering several feet away with his eyes squeezed closed and his hands up protecting his face.

"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed, shocked. "It's okay! It's me… Kurt."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Blaine repeated hysterically. He remained frozen in place, cowering away from Kurt and rocking slightly back and forth.

"Blaine, please! It's okay… please don't be scared. You're safe now." Kurt reiterated desperately.

Blaine looked as though he were possessed. His face was scrunched up tightly and his fists were clenched. His breaths came in harsh, ragged gasps and he still refused to open his eyes.

Kurt was terrified.

He didn't dare lean in and touch Blaine, but he couldn't possibly move any farther away.

The frightened teen looked so small and helpless, it was killing Kurt to watch him suffer.

"Blaine, please open your eyes." Kurt begged. "Please look at me!"

For the first time, it appeared as though Blaine heard Kurt's word, as he began violently shaking his head.

"No… Please… I-I'm sorry."

"Blaine, sweetheart… you have nothing to be sorry about. Please just open your eyes and look at me." Kurt risked moving forward several inches as he spoke.

It was as though Blaine sensed the intrusion and his respirations grew increasingly more labored.

"Oh god Blaine, please just look at me." Kurt was visibly upset by this time, with tears running freely down his cheeks.

Still the boy refused to move from his position.

_He's having a panic attack. Just like at the house._

_What did Carole do to help him?_

"Blaine." Kurt managed to control his emotions enough to sound slightly calmer. "I need you to slow down your breathing."

No change.

_I need to do something._

Kurt inched his way closer, speaking calmly and slowly as he got to within inches from the trembling form in front of him.

"Blaine. It's Kurt." He reminded. "I'm right here. I'm not going to hurt you, okay?"

Cautiously, he reached out both hands and placed them on each side of Blaine's face, slowly lifting his chin so they were face to face.

Blaine flinched, but did not pull away, his eyes remaining tightly closed.

Kurt took a deep breath, leaned in further, and rested his forehead against Blaine's, which was warm and moist from perspiration.

He closed his eyes and whispered.

"Blaine, can you hear me?"

His heart fluttered when he felt a gentle nod against his own skin.

"I need you to breathe with me right now, okay?"

Another tiny nod.

"Can you feel my breath on your face?"

Another nod. The trembling was slowing.

"Breathe with me, Blaine." Kurt paused, exaggerating his own deep breathing pattern. "In and Out."

Blaine took a hesitant breath, it stuttered between his lips.

"In… and… out…"

Kurt continued to hold Blaine's face next to his own, their foreheads still pressed gently together. He could feel that the trembling had all but stopped, and that Blaine was breathing in a much more regular and effective pattern.

"Good, Blaine. You're doing so well. Keep going."

Several more minutes passed with the two boys continuing this routine; Blaine working on his breathing with the constant gentle coaching from Kurt.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, gently pulling his forehead away from the other teen. "Will you open your eyes for me?"

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed, but he took a deep breath and nodded slightly before slowly relaxing the muscles of his face and lifting his eyelids.

He raised his chin slowly until his honey-colored eyes met Kurt's ocean blue ones, only inches away.

They stared at each other for an extended time, each afraid to move or speak.

"Y-you're really here?" New tears gathered at the corners of Blaine's eyes, but these tears were different.

They were not tears brought on by fear or shame, but of hope and comfort.

Kurt smiled through tears of his own and nodded.

"Yes, Blaine. I'm here."

They met in a new embrace. This one even tighter than the last, and filled with a positive energy that warmed both boys to their cores.

They remained locked in each other's arms for several minutes, sharing tears of relief before Blaine pulled away slowly.

"I thought it was a dream." He admitted. "I didn't want to open my eyes because I thought it would end and you wouldn't really be here."

Kurt's heart skipped a beat.

"Oh Blaine." He said, taking the teen's hand in his own and offering a sad smile. "I'm here, and you're safe now. You don't need to be scared anymore, okay?"

Blaine nodded hesitantly.

Several seconds elapsed before Kurt looked down and realized that he was still holding Blaine's hand, gently caressing circles over the back of his knuckles.

His gaze returned to meet Blaine's, and he could feel warmth flooding up his neck and into his cheeks.

Blaine offered only a partial smile but did not pull his hand away.

They sat on the floor for several minutes, fingers still enlaced together, until Kurt spoke.

"Can we move up to the bed now? My ass is numb."

The sound that came out of Blaine's mouth was not exactly a laugh, but more like a giggle mixed with a snort.

Kurt's eyes widened as he pushed himself to his feet with a sly grin. "What was that?"

"What do you mean?" Blaine questioned, a fraction of the contentment had slipped off his face. "What was what?"

"You snorted."

"I didn't!"

Kurt tilted his head doubtfully.

"You totally snorted."

The tiny smile returned to Blaine's face but he didn't say anything further.

Without warning, his eyes widened, he quickly yanked his hand away from Kurt and stood up from his place on the floor.

It was as though reality had come crashing back down.

'W-what are you doing here?" He asked, unconsciously taking a step back from where Kurt stood.

"I was worried, Blaine." Kurt said cautiously. He was shocked by Blaine's unexpected outburst.

"You can't be here." Blaine's voice cracked, shaking his head. "It's not safe."

"Blaine, I was worried about you." Kurt said. "You left my house by climbing out a _window_ almost a week ago."

Silence.

"Why didn't you tell me that you lived here?" Kurt's voice was higher pitched than he'd intended. "Why did you lie to me?"

Blaine flinched at Kurt's words.

"I-I'm sorry." He stuttered. "I didn't… I-I couldn't… I didn't want you to know."

Kurt's heart sunk.

"Blaine." He sighed. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I just wish you would have let me help you."

Blaine looked at the floor in defeat. "How did you find me?"

'"I looked everywhere!" Kurt announced dramatically. "I went to the bakery and met Abby – she's a sweetheart by the way."

Blaine's eyebrows crumpled as he returned his gaze to Kurt.

_What all did she tell you?_

"Then I checked at the school and the library and everywhere else in town." Kurt continued. "Finally I went to Dalton, then I searched all the motels and hotels in this area until I hit the right one."

_Wait, what?_

"You went to Dalton?"

"Apparently I'm not cut out to be a spy." Kurt answered casually, picking a piece of lint from his sleeve.

Blaine was puzzled.

"Your friends are very… _dedicated_ to that school and _'The Club'_, aren't they?" Kurt accentuated the words using air quotations.

The bushy triangular eyebrows on Blaine's forehead nearly disappeared under his hairline as he looked at Kurt in disbelief.

_They told you about the fight club?_

"Who told you about that?" Blaine whispered. "No one is supposed to talk about it."

Kurt's attention immediately fell back onto Blaine's concerned face.

_Oh god, not him too._

"Nobody is supposed to talk about it." Blaine repeated. He looked around as though confirming that no one was within hearing distance.

Kurt rolled his eyes.

_Oh Christ. Here we go again._

"Okay…" He threw his hands up into the air. "What is the deal with this club?"

Blaine remained silent.

"Is it some kind of nerdy Harry Potter thing or something?" Kurt asked incredulously. "Or a live-action role playing club, maybe?"

Blaine looked at Kurt in disbelief.

_Seriously_?

"Oh god, it's not some kind of fraternity thing is it? Like, where you make each other do stupid things while naked?"

"It's nothing like that." Blaine replied with a snort. "But I can't…"

"I know!" Kurt interrupted. "You can't talk about it! Trust me… I know the drill."

There were a few awkward moments of silence where neither boy knew what to say.

"Who told you where to look for me?" Blaine broke the silence. "Was it Nick?"

"He's worried about you Blaine. We all are."

Blaine grimaced.

_I should have been more careful. He's not safe here._

"You should go home."

"What?" Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Blaine, I _just_ finally found you. I'm not leaving you here."

"You have to go." Blaine said, getting up from the bed. "It's not safe here."

"Exactly! And that's why you need to come with me!"

Blaine looked shocked. "I can't Kurt. I need to stay here."

Kurt's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me right now? Did you forget what that asshole just did to you?"

Blaine's face lost all its color.

"How do you know about that?"

Kurt bit his lip.

_Uh oh… shouldn't have gone there._

"You don't even know him." Blaine countered.

"Blaine! He almost raped you!"

"D-don't say that. He did not!"

"I don't believe this…" Kurt threw his hands up into the air incredulously. "You're defending him?"

"He's my boyfriend, Kurt." Blaine put his hands on his hips. "It's none of your business."

"Blaine!" Kurt gasped. "If he's hurting you, it _becomes_ my business."

"He wouldn't." Blaine denied.

"He did!"

"That was my fault. I shouldn't have grabbed him like that."

Kurt's jaw dropped once again.

"Your fault? Blaine, are you even hearing yourself right now?"

"I should have known better."

"Oh my god." Kurt ran a hand through his golden hair in frustration. "I don't believe this."

"Sebastian is good to me, Kurt. You have no right to judge him."

"Good to you? That's being _good_ to you? He threw you across the room!"

"I told you that was my fault. It was an accident."

"Is that what he tells you to say when people see all your bruises?" Kurt was growing increasingly angry.

"You're wrong Kurt. He doesn't hit me."

Kurt was speechless.

"Maybe he has pushed me a couple times, but I deserved it. It was my fault." Blaine continued, avoiding eye contact with Kurt who was looking at him with skepticism.

"You don't _deserve_ any of this Blaine. He's not good for you. You deserve so much better." Kurt tried to calm himself and return his voice to a normal pitch. "You deserve to be loved and cared for."

"He does love me."

"And he shows you this love by throwing you around and trying to fuck you?"

_There goes the calm demeanor._

"He takes care of me, Kurt." Blaine countered. "I was nothing when he found me at Dalton. _Nothing_. Just a scared little boy with parents who couldn't give two shits. Sebastian took me under his wing and made me strong. He taught me how to fight back. He started the… _the club_… and he let me in and he showed me what it meant to be a man. How to vent my anger and not back down. Something my father could never do."

Kurt felt sick to his stomach.

_They've brainwashed him._

"All the guys from Dalton? The ones you met? They're all in the club. They're all running from something too. That's the whole point of Dalton isn't it? A place where everyone gets treated the same, no matter what they are." The words rolled off Blaine's tongue as though they'd been rehearsed.

"We all joined the fight club because it gave us an outlet. Somewhere we could channel our anger and beat the living shit out of each other so our parents and the bullies at our old schools wouldn't have to!"

Blaine's eyes widened when he realized what he'd said.

"Oh god. I-I…" His shoulders were heaving as he was out of breath from his rant.

Kurt didn't know what to say.

It made sense.

It was a fight club.

Blaine's bruises and broken bones.

Jeff's black eye.

The secrets.

The lies.

It made sense.

Blaine was backing away with his hands covering his face. "What did I do?"

Kurt stepped closer to him. "It's okay, Blaine…"

"No it's not!" Blaine interjected. "Do you realize what I just did? I just broke the first rule."

Kurt just stared at him, unknowing what to say or do.

"You do not talk about the fight club." Blaine's voice sounded mechanical.

The pair stayed quiet for a minute before Kurt stepped closer to Blaine and sighed.

"I'm not going to say anything Blaine. You're secret is safe with me, okay?"

"If Sebastian finds out…"

"He won't." Kurt reassured.

Kurt decided that it would be a good idea to change the subject. He chose the only thing he could think of on the fly that might reroute Blaine's current thought process.

"I met your dad."

Blaine quit pacing and his face instantly fell. He no longer looked terrified, but instead, completely crushed.

Kurt grimaced.

_Ok, so maybe the daddy talk was a bit premature._

"I can understand why you don't like him that much." He offered with a tiny grin.

"Did he hurt you?"

"What? No." Kurt said quickly. "Well… he said some horrible things, but my dad kind of put him in his place."

"Your dad met him?" Blaine looked terrified once again. "What happened?"

"There was screaming. But no blood, so that a bonus."

Blaine looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I wish you hadn't seen that."

Kurt shrugged. "I figured he would be a prick, but I have to admit, I didn't see it being that bad."

"Did he at least ask about me?"

Kurt's heart dropped.

_Ask about you? He sounded as though he'd be ecstatic if he never saw you again._

He didn't have the heart to tell Blaine the truth. That tiny bit of hope that had been weaved into his tone may well have been all that remained.

"We, uh… didn't get a chance to talk much." Kurt lied unconvincingly. "My dad whisked us away pretty quickly after things started to go south."

"Oh." Blaine sounded defeated.

_So much for not shattering what's left of his heart._

"Are your parents mad at me?" Blaine whispered. "For leaving like that, I mean."

"Of course not." Kurt smiled, relaxing slightly. "They're really worried about you."

"I'm sorry for upsetting them. I should never have gone there in the first place."

"Blaine, you needed help. You were hurt really bad. I'm glad you came."

Blaine shrugged. "I should stop involving other people in my messes."

"We want to help you Blaine." Kurt sighed. "You just have to let us."

Silence.

"I'm sorry I stole your clothes." Blaine added numbly, several moments later. "I was going to give them back to you, I promise." He pointed to the desk where the pile of the borrowed articles sat neatly folded.

"You should keep them." Kurt smiled. "They look better on you anyway."

Another several minutes of silence.

Kurt looked at his watch. "We should pack up your stuff and get out of here. It's almost eleven. My dad is going to be freaking out."

If Kurt had seen Blaine suffer from an anxiety attack before, it was nothing compared to what transpired over the next several minutes.

If he'd been asked to describe it, only two words would possibly come close.

Pure. Panic.

Blaine's entire body went rigid and began to shake violently and his normally olive-toned skin lost all of its color until he was as white as a ghost. His honey-colored eyes were wider than Kurt had ever seen before and his breaths came only in pained gasps.

"Fuck." He quaked. "You have to go."

Kurt was mystified.

_What the hell just happened? Was it something I said?_

"Blaine…? What the…"

He was cut off as the teenager standing in front of him all but grabbed him and ushered him towards the motel room door.

"N-no. Y-you can't be here." Blaine stuttered. "You have to go. Please, you have to go."

"I'm not..."

"Kurt. Please just go. It's not safe. You have to go. Please just go!" He rambled.

Blaine's eyes darted around the room suspiciously and his hands were continually clenching and unclenching.

Kurt had never seen Blaine like this before. It was an entire new level of psychosis.

The past panic attacks seemed minor compared to the state the boy was in at that moment.

"I am not going to leave you here, Blaine." Kurt forced through Blaine's incessant rambling.

"You have to go. He's coming. You have to go!"

"Who's coming, Blaine?" Kurt's skin prickled. "Sebastian?"

"Kurt please!" Blaine begged, tears falling from his eyes once again. "Please, just go!"

"I told you, I'm not going to leave you here." Kurt tried once again to grab the terrified boy's hand, but Blaine pulled away.

"No. P-please just go." Blaine sobbed. "I'll be okay."

Kurt quickly reached his hand out and grabbed Blaine's before he could pull it away.

He turned it over, exposing the finger-shaped bruises that were now evident.

"_This_ is not okay, Blaine." He said firmly.

Blaine desperately ripped his hand away from Kurt and pushed past him into the tiny dark bathroom.

Kurt heard the bathroom door slam before he could even turn around. He quickly padded across the carpet and leaned into the door.

"Blaine, come on." He begged. "Please just come out and talk to me?"

"Get out!"

The force of the harsh words, which echoed from behind the door, surprised Kurt.

"Blaine… I…"

"I said get out!" Blaine screamed hysterically. "Leave me alone!"

Kurt reached up and placed his fingers on the grungy looking doorknob and turned it counterclockwise.

It was locked.

Kurt's head fell forward in disbelief.

_Of course it's locked. _

_It's the only thing in this place that actually works properly._

"Blaine, please" He begged again, leaning his forehead onto the door. "Please just come out and talk to me. Tell me what's going on…"

"Get out! You can't be here!"

Blaine was huddled on the floor, holding his arms around his torso and rocking back and forth with salty tears pouring down his face.

He hated to say those words.

More than anything, he just wanted to go home with Kurt.

He wanted to be safe.

But _he_ was coming.

Soon.

Kurt had to leave.

It's not safe.

**It's not safe.**

"Blaine?" He heard from the other side of the door. "What are you doing in there? Are you okay?"

He just didn't get it.

It's not safe.

He's coming.

_You need to leave._

Screaming at Kurt was obviously not working. He needed to step it up a notch.

"I don't want you here." He said numbly. "Go home."

"Blaine… you don't mean that…" Kurt sounded upset.

_I caused him to sound upset._

_I made him cry._

_I did this. _

_It's my fault._

"Get out!" He screamed, pulling his clenched fists up and pounding on the sides of his own temples. "Get out!"

"Blaine…"

_I have to protect him._

"I HATE YOU!"

Silence.

Blaine instantly regretted saying those words. He'd tried to avoid them because he knew they weren't true. In fact, it probably hurt him more to say them than for Kurt to actually hear them.

"Y-you don't mean that." Kurt was crying even harder now.

"Yes I do! Get out! I never want to see you ever again!" Blaine's heart was torn to shreds with each syllable.

He did want to see Kurt. He wanted to see him every day. Every morning.

Kurt was devastated.

_How did we end up here?_

_Why won't he let me help him?_

"Blaine. I know you don't mean that." It was barely more than a whisper.

He could hear the broken sobs from the other side of the door.

"I care about you." Kurt said, falling to his knees and leaning his forehead against the door softly. "I don't want to see you hurt anymore. You deserve so much better."

The words warmed Blaine's heart and he turned to face the door. He too positioned his body on the floor and leaned his head against the cold, splintered wood of the bathroom door.

Neither boy spoke a word for several minutes, but both could hear each other's breathing; their faces separated by only two inches of rotting lumber.

Finally after what felt like a lifetime of pseudo-serenity, Kurt sighed and whispered into the door.

"If it's really what you want, I'll leave."

No answer.

He closed his eyes in defeat and stood up from his position on the floor.

"I'm sorry Blaine." It was barely more than a whisper. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't do more."

The remainder of Blaine's heart broke as he squeezed his eyes shut, forcing more tears to cascade down his cheeks.

He heard Kurt take several steps away from the bathroom and he had to focus on his breathing to avoid throwing up when he heard the familiar sound of the front door being latched.

But not before he heard Kurt's final words.

"You don't deserve this, Blaine Anderson."

* * *

Blaine, still a soggy, sobbing mess, had remained seated on the floor of the grimy, dark bathroom for several minutes before he heard footsteps return outside the bathroom door.

_Kurt?_

He sat up instantly.

_He came back!_

_He does care about me. _

_I should go with him. _

_I can't do this anymore._

_I want to be safe. _

He haphazardly stumbled to his feet, unlocked the door and ripped it open.

"Kurt!"

He froze.

That was definitely not Kurt.

"Hello Blaine."

* * *

Blaine immediately retreated into the bathroom, but before he could slam the door closed behind him, a large meaty hand pushed the door back open forcefully.

In his haste to back away from the intruder, Blaine tripped over the bathmat on the floor and found himself tumbling backwards into the grungy bathtub. His head connected with the faucet and a plethora of stars made their way into his line of vision.

Before he could shake himself out of his stupor, the intruder had stepped closer to him, grabbed him by the collar with two hands and pulled him unceremoniously to his feet.

"I said hello, Blaine." The gruff voice repeated. "It's not nice to ignore a friendly greeting."

Blaine frowned but said nothing. He averted his gaze to the floor until he felt the strong arms shake him violently.

"What do you want?" His voice was nowhere near as strong as he'd hoped for.

"Heh… you _know_ what I want. I told you I was coming back tonight."

Blaine's stomach clenched.

_No. Not again._

"I'm here to collect your rent payment."

Blaine struggled against the hands, but to no avail. He was too small and too weak against the much larger motel manager.

"No." Blaine said boldly. "Not anymore."

The man's dark eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

Blaine gulped.

"I said no. I'm leaving." He swallowed before continuing. "I won't do this anymore."

He'd never been so brave before. He'd never stood up for himself like this.

He just wanted to leave this place and find Kurt.

Kurt gave him courage.

Blaine braced himself for what he was sure to be a vicious beating.

But the hits never came.

It was actually quite the opposite.

The man laughed.

It was a harsh, awful-sounding laugh; there was no merriment what so ever.

Only a sadistic sense of pleasure.

"You're not going anywhere, Blaine." He scoffed. "You know that you can't leave."

Blaine's stomach clenched further as the man dragged him out of the bathroom and threw him brusquely onto the bed.

"Please, just let me go. I'll pay you."

The man backed away from the trembling boy on the bed and chuckled as he looked around.

"You'll pay me?" He scoffed. "With what?"

Blaine looked around the room, as if hoping the answer would magically appear right in front of him.

"You have _nothing_, Blaine. You're worthless."

The man traipsed around the room, snooping at the things on Blaine's desk until he came upon the stack of papers, which he threw up into the air. He chuckled maniacally as he watched them all fall out of the air around him.

Next he laid his arm across the desk and violently wiped everything onto the floor, causing several loud crashes, which made Blaine jump. The stack of textbooks laid splayed open on the floor and the pile of Kurt's clothes strewn about.

"You have nothing Blaine. Nobody wants you. You have nowhere else to go."

The man walked over to where the vintage guitar sat on its metal stand and picked it up.

"P-please don't take that." Blaine begged, moving to the edge of the bed. "It was my grandpas. It means…"

But he was interrupted as the man lifted the instrument above his head and brought it back down abruptly against the edge of the desk.

The neck of the beautiful guitar instantly shattered, leaving broken and splintered pieces all over the floor and strings sticking out wildly from every direction.

Blaine gasped.

"I don't want money, or some old fashioned guitar, Blaine. You know what I want."

He walked back over to the bed and pulled the dazed boy up and twisted him around roughly. His large arms wrapped around Blaine's torso in a grip tight enough to make Blaine's ribs protest.

He leaned in close and whispered into Blaine's ear "You know I always get what I want, Blaine."

Tears began pooling down Blaine's face and he struggled desperately against his captor.

"No… get off of me!"

The man ignored Blaine's objections and nestled his nose against the skin on the back of his neck.

"I thought you might not come back." He cooed. "I thought I was going to have to teach that dumb twink of a boyfriend of yours a lesson."

Blaine sobbed.

"But you came back. Like a good boy, you came back."

A pitiful whimper escaped Blaine's lips as the man placed a rough kiss on Blaine's neck, just under his left ear. His breath was putrid; smelling like cigarette smoke and alcohol. Blaine cringed when the man pressed himself closer and he could feel the hardness in the other man's groin press against his back.

The acidic taste of bile rose in Blaine's throat when he felt the man release one arm from around him and press his hand into his crotch, palming him roughing through his jeans.

"It took forever for him to leave." The man whispered. "What's his name? Sebastian?"

Blaine ignored him and focused his attention on trying not to vomit.

"That prep school fag might be upset if he learned that you've been fucking around behind his back."

Blaine's eyes widened as the words registered in his brain.

"Maybe I should tell him. He sure wouldn't want anything to do with your disgusting ass after that, now would he?"

"P-please don't tell him." Blaine begged. "He'll leave me"

"Leave you?" The man chuckled. "He's already gone, sweetcheeks. He doesn't give a flying fuck about you anymore. I thought he made that clear."

Blaine crumpled in the man's arms. "That's not true. He loves me."

"Whatever you say, boy." The man scoffed. "But that doesn't really matter, does it? I have some new playmates for you."

Blaine closed his eyes and wished for death.

"Remember them two hillbillies from the other night? They called again. They want to set up another… _session_… with you."

"N-no…" Blaine begged. "I can't do that again."

"They paid a lot of money for that, Blaine." The man sounded irritated. "If you do it again, maybe I'll even let you keep some this time. You can buy something nice for Sebastian. Christmas is coming soon you know."

Blaine snapped.

He began thrashing around desperately trying to release his hands.

"I don't want your money." He screamed. "I'm not doing that again!"

The man's eyes turned black, he snarled and then tightened his grip on the flailing boy.

"Stop fighting me! Don't make me tell Sebastian what you've been up to these past few weeks. I know where to find him in that preppy ass school of his."

"I-don't-care-if-Sebastian-knows." Blaine lied, struggling harder and harder with each enunciated word. "I am NOT doing that again."

A solid punch to the side of his head caused Blaine to instantly stop fighting. Dozens of stars danced before his eyes and he thought for sure he would be sick to his stomach.

"I told you to stop struggling you little brat." The man said. "Why are you refusing the inevitable? Are you still sore from him fucking you into the mattress last night?"

Red flag.

_How does he know about that?_

The man grinned an evil grin when he saw the confusion written into Blaine's features.

"You wanna know how I knew about that?" The monster said with a snarl.

He dropped Blaine to the floor in a heap and walked over to the lamp on the bedside table. He pulled the shade off the lamp and exposed a tiny black electronic device.

"I've been watching you, Blaine."

Blaine was stunned. And completely revolted.

_How long has that been there?_

"I like to watch you."

Blaine thought he was going to be sick.

"But you don't even like it, do you? I see how you cry every time he fucks you. But he never even notices, does he?"

Blaine began to sob hysterically.

"I bet that pale little faggot in the fancy clothes was hoping for a show while he was hiding in the closet. You let him down, Blaine."

Blaine looked up at the man in confusion.

_What?_

"I saw the whole thing. The way he snooped around your place earlier tonight while waiting for you to get home. I bet he didn't expect you to turn up with your boyfriend."

Blaine remained on the floor, silently confused.

_What is he talking about?_

"You're fucking him too aren't you? Was that the reason for the overly dramatic lover's quarrel?"

"I had to wait for him to leave before I came to see you tonight, Blaine." The man smiled before continuing. "You're turning into a real little cockslut aren't you?"

Blaine ignored the man's profanities.

The man grew angry at Blaine's lack of submission.

"If you don't want that prancy little bitch to join us, you'll stay here and do exactly what I say."

Blaine was still confused.

_Prancy little…?_

"What did he say his name was? Kurt?"

Blaine exploded up off the floor and attacked the man, flailing his arms around; punching, hitting and slapping any inch of flesh he could possibly find.

"Don't you fucking touch him!" He screamed, pummeling his fists into the man's chest. "I will fucking kill you if you touch him!"

The man grinned as he easily manhandled Blaine and pinned the small boy's arms at his sides, effectively subduing him.

"Sounds like I hit a nerve there, Blaine."

Blaine continued to fight the man with every ounce of strength he had remaining.

He tossed his head back and forth and kicked out his legs.

"I'm sure that fancy little fuck is still a virgin. I'd like to pop his cherry and fuck his tight little ass until it's raw." The man said, licking his lips. "And make you watch."

"Don't you talk about him!" Blaine screamed. "Leave him alone!"

The man smiled. He'd found Blaine's weak spot. Now he had regained complete control.

"Alright Blaine. I will leave him alone if you promise to obey me from now on and do everything I ask."

Blaine was vibrating with emotion. Waves of fear, anger, betrayal, and disgust rolled off his body, but he slowly stopped fighting and just went slack in the man's arms.

_Did he really know where to find Kurt?_

"Blaine?" The man questioned. "Do you promise to obey me?"

"You have to swear you won't touch Kurt."

"I won't touch your fancy little bitch." The man smiled. "Unless you don't obey me, in which case I will track down that fancy car he drives and I will murder him and his family. After I have my way with him of course."

Blaine almost fainted.

_I can't let him hurt the Hummels. Not after all they've done for me._

"So… what will it be, Blaine? Do you swear to do everything I tell you?"

Blaine lifted his head and looked at the man with empty, devastated eyes.

And nodded.

"Good boy." The man cooed, patting him on the head. "I knew you'd see it my way."

Blaine was trembling uncontrollably as the man began to caress his face and neck.

"You're my good boy, aren't you?"

Blaine couldn't find it in himself to answer. He felt disgusting.

He'd just sold his soul to the devil himself.

"No one else gets to have you anymore." The man's voice had changed to a very possessive tone. "You're all mine."

He pulled Blaine over to the bed and sat him down before reaching into his pocket and pulling out three blue tablets.

"Take these." He said, offering them to Blaine.

Blaine hesitated before reaching up and taking them from the man's palm.

He looked up at the man warily as he brought his hand back down and his question was soon answered.

"Viagra." The man explained. "I've already taken mine. I need you to be able to keep up with me tonight."

Blaine's face crumpled, but he did as he was told and swallowed the pills.

"Take off your clothes."

Blaine closed his eyes as he silently reached up and pulled off his shirt, knowing full well the man to his left was watching his every move.

After several minutes of painstakingly slowly undressing, Blaine sat on the bed completely naked.

"Turn around on the bed and get on your hands and knees."

Still shaking violently, Blaine turned his head and looked at the man.

"You swear you won't hurt him?"

"You have my word."

Blaine swallowed the lump of doubt from his throat and climbed up onto the bed as instructed.

He began whimpering as he felt the cold, unloving hands slide up and down his skin.

"Shhhhh Blaine. I don't want to hear you cry."

He bit his lower lip, desperate to not disobey.

_For Kurt. I'm doing this to protect Kurt._

Blaine heard the familiar sound of jeans unzipping behind him and he braced himself for what came next.

He knew that there would be no preparation.

No lubrication.

No condom.

There never was.

The man leaned forward over Blaine's back and pressed himself closer. The Viagra had obviously already taken effect and Blaine winced when he felt the hardness press against his backside.

Blaine clenched his fists into the sheets as he felt the man lean further over him and reach his hands up around the sides of his face and onto his neck. His fingers fit perfectly inside the now-faded bruises on his neck, which remained painted on his olive skin.

The grip of the hands on his neck tightened significantly as Blaine felt the familiar burning sensation begin below his waist.

It wasn't long before he felt himself grow hard. He cursed his body for betraying him, but knew that with the amount of drugs in his system, he didn't stand a chance in fighting it.

He closed his eyes and tried to force his brain and his heart elsewhere as he felt the oxygen depravation begin to overcome him.

Seconds before he was finally allowed to drift off into the welcomed darkness, Blaine heard two haunting words which he was sure he would never be able to purge from his mind ever again.

"You're mine."


	23. Look at Me

**Author's Note:**

**I just want to say a giant "THANK YOU" to everyone who has read my story. It means so much to me to see the almost-constant flood of new alerts and followers after each update.**

**To be able to track all of the different countries you awesome readers live in is just too incredible! I never dreamed I'd make friends all over the globe because of my writing. I guess that just goes to prove the enormous power that 'Glee' has given all of us!**

**And to those of you who are kind and generous enough to take the time and leave reviews – you'll never know how much that means to me. You guys/gals are literally inspiring things in me that I never dreamed possible. **

**THANK YOU!**

**These past few chapters have been extremely difficult to write. I am touching on some incredibly dark themes. But I appreciate you all sticking with me. **

**Ch. 21 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – I was hoping to be able to match up the titles of each chapter to the events of the story as I went along, some of the times it worked really well – this next chapter (Ch.23) worked out extremely well! I'm glad that you are still appreciating the ups and downs of 'Underneath." I really hoped that my (AMAZING) readers are not getting frustrated with it…

**WritingGeek27116** – You continue to impress me (and make me laugh) with your reviews! I have apparently mastered the 'holy shit factor' based on your last couple reviews. I'm glad that I've been able to keep you on the edge of your seat! That's my ultimate goal!

**DrocoCriss** – I know you are anxiously waiting for the reunion between Kurt and Blaine… as well as the kluddles, klisses and klainebows, which will undoubtedly follow… but it's going to take some time. I assure you… keep reading. It will be worth it!

**Anderpson** – Thanks for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying my twists and turns! I've had a blast setting them all up and weaving them into my plotline!

**Melinda (guest) **– Here you go! Another update! Thanks for your review!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Awwww! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! You're words are too kind! You're making me blush!

**Msdarque** – Yes… many hugs are in order for our sweet boy. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Sara (guest)** – Hello Sara! Thanks so much for your review! Your English was perfect! Thank you so much for your kind words! I apologise for all the dramatic and emotional scenes in the past few chapters – I tend to be an angsty angsty writer apparently! ;) Please keep reading – I promise better things are on the horizon!

**Purpleview** – Yes… you are right. This chapter (and the one you're about to read) were incredibly tough. But reviews like all of yours are what keep me going! Thank you so much for believing in me and trusting my words.

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

**XOXO**

**-RH**

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter contains scenes of violence, course language and depictions of non-consensual sexual acts. **

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 23

Six days.

It had been six days since Kurt had been all but thrown out of Blaine's motel room.

Six days since he'd held the broken boy in his arms.

Six days since he'd heard the desperate pleas slip from Blaine's bruised lips.

And six days since Kurt had been able to breathe easily.

Blaine hadn't returned to school.

Not that Kurt had expected him to.

When he'd returned home after midnight that night, Kurt turned on his phone to find twelve missed phone calls from his house phone.

Even Finn had sent him a text asking him where he was at.

Kurt hadn't been surprised to find his father waiting for him at the kitchen table when he walked through the front door.

The look on his face hadn't been a pleasant one. Or even a relieved one.

Burt Hummel had looked right pissed.

Kurt never questioned his father's disapproval of the situation. He had admittedly been stupid to not let Burt know of his whereabouts.

But he was so emotionally and physically drained after the events of the evening that he couldn't care less.

He didn't care that his father looked more disappointed in him than he ever had before.

_(Kurt knew damn well that his father wasn't exactly mad… but rather, worried.)_

He didn't care that he was grounded for the next three weeks.

_(Really, where would he want to go, anyway?)_

He didn't care that he was banned from shopping during those three weeks.

_(Okay, maybe that one stung a little bit.)_

He didn't even care that he wasn't allowed to have friends over for those three weeks either.

_(Because really… what friends?)_

All Kurt wanted was to make sure of was that Blaine was safe.

But even that didn't seem like anything he could control at this point.

He'd tried hard, (_so hard_) to make Blaine understand that he was in a bad situation.

But it was as though the curly-haired boy refused to see the logic.

Kurt remained in a cloud of disbelief for the entire six days.

Why would Blaine do that to himself?

Why would he choose to stay in that disgusting motel?

Why would he willingly stay away from the people who obviously cared about him?

And why, in God's name, would he stay with that arrogant asshole Sebastian?

What reason could Blaine possibly have for keeping himself shackled in that sadistic situation?

Kurt didn't understand.

He didn't understand it at all.

He never told his father what actually happened that night.

He never mentioned that he'd finally found Blaine.

What good would that possibly do?

Kurt knew exactly what his father would say; 'Blaine is sixteen. He is old enough to make his own decisions.'

But he hadn't seen Blaine's face.

He hadn't heard his desperate cries.

He hadn't felt the boy trembling in his arms.

No. Kurt didn't understand it at all.

He spent the better part of the week moping around with his shoulders slouched and his face downcast.

Burt had forced him back to school, but Kurt had simply floated from class to class numbly.

He never initiated a conversation with anyone, and truthfully, no one really bothered to talk to him either.

Kurt didn't mind.

He didn't have anything to say anyway.

He attended his classes. Even glee club.

But he didn't sing.

He couldn't sing.

What would he possibly sing about?

No one bothered him in the hallways.

None of the jocks slushied him or tossed him into the dumpster.

He didn't even see David Karofsky once the whole week.

At least, he didn't think he had.

But Kurt had kept his chin lowered and his eyes cast down to the floor for the entire six days, so he couldn't be certain.

On the following Friday afternoon, Kurt returned home from school and tossed his messenger bag sloppily on the floor by the front door.

He didn't hang up his coat, but rather laid it over the railing of the staircase.

He didn't set his winter boots neatly off to the side of the entryway as he usually did, but rather just kicked them off and let them stay where they landed.

Kurt wondered through the home silently and emotionlessly until he came to the staircase leading to his basement bedroom.

He had only taken a single step down when he heard his father call his name from somewhere in the house.

Kurt ignored the shout and continued to slump his way down the steps, before he walked over to his bed and flopped lifelessly on top of the unmade sheets and blankets, still fully dressed in his school clothes.

The bed was cold. But he didn't care.

He laid on the cold bed unmoving for several minutes before he heard heavy footsteps coming down the staircase.

"Kurt?" His father's voice echoed. "You down here buddy?"

Kurt pressed his face further into the cool blankets.

_If I ignore him, maybe he'll go away._

"Kurt?"

_Or, maybe not._

His father stepped up next to the bed and gently sat down next to his lifeless son.

"Didn't you hear me call you? Carole and I wanted to speak with you in the kitchen."

Kurt grunted a noncommittal answer in a tone that he didn't even realize his voice was able to create.

"Kurt…" His father sighed heavily. "We need to talk."

Kurt remained prone.

He didn't feel like talking.

"Buddy… you have to talk to me. You're starting to freak me out."

Nothing.

"I know that sometimes you get a little moody and all that, but this is… this is… _scaring_ me."

Kurt felt a pang of remorse, which lasted for a fraction of a second.

Then he went numb again.

"Kurt… please look at me."

Burt's heart ached as he looked at the mess of a boy in front of him.

This was not his son.

His son was a happy person by nature.

Kurt was strong.

And courageous.

Even after the shitty hand that life had dealt him over the years… he'd pulled through. Nothing got him down.

Nothing until now.

"Is this still about Blaine?"

Kurt's heart fluttered when he heard the name. But he still didn't move his body.

"Kurt...I understand that you're worried. I do, honest." Burt sighed, placing a gentle, calloused hand on Kurt's shoulder. "But this is… _unhealthy_."

When he got no reply, the elder Hummel continued his practiced speech.

"You're not yourself anymore. You don't talk, you barely eat… and I haven't even seen you do your moisturizing routine in like… three days."

Burt waited for a witty reply from the boy, but received nothing.

_Wow, he really is messed up._

He wondered if the punishment he'd handed out six days ago had been too severe.

Maybe it would do Kurt good to get out and see his other friends. Or maybe he needed to go and indulge in a little retail therapy to get his mind off the long lost Blaine.

If Burt was being honest, he hadn't really meant for it to be a punishment. He was hoping that by forbidding Kurt to leave the house except for school and glee club it might encourage the boy to relax a little.

Maybe even get some sleep.

Kurt looked… awful.

Burt knew that if he ever said that to the boy's face, he'd never hear the end of it, but it was the truth.

His son's face was sunken in, his skin looked even more pale (if that was even possible) than usual, and his eyes looked… _dead_.

A shiver ran up Burt's spine.

"Buddy… please look at me." Burt sounded genuinely distraught. "Carole and I are really worried."

Kurt sighed.

_Time to get this over with._

He rolled onto his side but still remained horizontal.

His eyes met his father's and he once again felt a tiny pang of regret.

His dad looked… awful.

He had dark swollen bags under his sad blue eyes and his mouth was fixed in a permanent frown.

Burt Hummel rarely frowned.

_Has he always had those lines around his eyes?_

His father seemed to relax slightly after Kurt had made the effort to actually look at him, but man still looked far more tense than Kurt had ever seen him.

Even at his mother's funeral.

"There you are." Burt said, forcing a sad smile onto his lips. "Can I get you anything?"

Kurt shook his head slowly.

Burt sighed. May as well get right to the point.

"Still no sign of him hey?"

A tiny nagging voice inside Kurt's brain told him that he should just tell his father everything.

He ignored the voice and shook his head.

Burt mindlessly looked around the bedroom and sighed once again. "I'm sorry buddy."

The pair of Hummel men sat in silence for several minutes before Burt decided to change the subject.

"Carole is cooking your favorite meal tonight! Vegan lasagna with lots of vegetables."

"I'm not hungry."

"Wanna watch a movie later? I bet there's one of those… musical thingies on. I'll even let you watch it."

"I have homework."

"How about…"

Burt was interrupted.

"Dad, please… just go back upstairs." It sounded far worse once the words left Kurt's lips. He frowned, and decided that he'd better amend his last statement.

_Damage control._

"I-I'm just…not feeling well."

Burt sighed.

He hated seeing his son like this.

He sounded… _empty_.

This Blaine thing was really getting to him.

_Where the hell is that kid? _

Time to try a new approach.

"Maybe Blaine moved away or something." Burt offered with a shrug.

Kurt was not prepared for the sudden change of subject. His eyebrows rose and he looked at his father incredulously.

"I mean it." The man stated. "Or, _maybe,_ he's staying with someone else and they've gone on holidays or something."

The look of doubt on Kurt's tired face triplicated.

_I should just tell him the truth._

"What? Don't look at me like that!" Burt chuckled. "He's probably laying on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun while were stuck here in Lima, Ohio freezing our asses off!"

_Or his douchebag of a boyfriend is throwing him across the room._

"He's probably laughing about something ridiculous as we speak…"

_Or he's sobbing in the corner of that filthy motel room. _

"He's probably…"

"He's not okay, dad." Kurt interrupted sternly, sitting up from the bed suddenly enough that it surprised the older man.

"Kurt?"

The teenager swallowed the lump in his throat before looking his father directly in the eyes.

"He's not okay."

"Kurt… what's going on?" Burt's heart stuttered slightly when he heard this new, completely flat tone slipping from his son's lips. "What happened?"

Kurt was quiet momentarily as he considered his predicament.

_It's time…_

"The other night, when I was late getting home." Kurt whispered slowly. "I wasn't at Mercedes' house."

Burt's eyebrows lifted. "Oh?"

"I was searching for Blaine again."

Burt couldn't say he was surprised. His son had been desperately looking for the boy for days.

He recalled finding it… _odd_ when Kurt told him that he'd been at his friend's house Friday night instead of scouring the neighborhood.

"And I found him."

Burt's heart stopped.

_What?_

"Wha- where?" Burt couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_Kurt found Blaine? Why hadn't he mentioned it before?_

"He's staying in a motel…" Kurt started cautiously.

He hesitated before adding "… in Lima Heights Adjacent"

Burt's eyes widened.

"What is he doing down there?" Burt exclaimed. "That place is… _iffy_."

Kurt sighed.

_You have no idea._

He wasn't sure how much he should tell his dad. He didn't want him to freak out and go charging down to the motel room himself.

He'd probably throttle Sebastian with his bare hands.

On second thought… maybe he _should_ tell him everything.

"He works down there." Kurt supplied warily. "In a bakery."

"Huh." Burt grunted, obviously surprised. "Who is he staying with?"

Kurt grimaced.

_Now or never…_

"Well…That's the thing."

Burt gasped. "Surely he's not there by himself?"

Kurt didn't reply, but his silence was enough to provide Burt with an answer to his question.

"Oh shit." He murmured. "Did you tell him to come back and stay here?"

Kurt's face fell. "I tried… but… he… he won't listen to me."

Burt felt as though he was missing a crucial part of the story.

"Kurt… did something… _happen_?"

Burt leaned closer to his son and put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"You can tell me Kurt, I won't be upset."

Kurt didn't know when the tears had gathered in the corners of his eyes, but when he suddenly felt one slip down his cheek, he began to lose control of his already unpredictable emotions.

"H-he… I-I couldn't… He w-won't…"

Burt tightened his grip on his son's shoulders and closed his eyes momentarily. Kurt normally had impeccable speech. He always articulated his words appropriately, but

right now, the boy couldn't even form a structured sentence.

It was painfully obvious that that what ever had gone down in that motel room had been something serious.

"Slow down, Kurt." He hushed softly. "Tell me what happened."

"I found his room by talking to the creepy motel guy. It was unlocked so I just went in."

_Creepy motel guy? I'm sorry… what?_

"I found a bunch of Blaine's stuff so I knew it was his room." Kurt continued. "But then he came back."

Burt looked at his son curiously when Kurt didn't seem willing to finish his story.

_And?_

"…with his boyfriend."

_Oh._

Burt sat puzzled for a brief moment before the pieces fell together and he did a mental face-palm.

_Blaine has a boyfriend._

_Kurt is upset because Blaine has a boyfriend._

_Of course he's upset. _

_How did I not see this earlier?_

_It all made perfect sense._

_Kurt's near obsession with the black-haired boy._

_The desperate search to find him._

_And now the depression._

_Kurt has a crush on this boy!_

_But Blaine has a boyfriend!_

_So now Kurt is jealous!_

The dull ache that had subsided in Burt's heart over the past few weeks lightened as the new information came to light.

_Just a simple case of High School crushes._

Kurt never noticed his father's sudden smile or the weight that seemingly lifted from the older man's shoulders.

The tears were falling quickly and readily.

"He's an asshole dad… an asshole." He sobbed.

Burt shook himself.

"Who? Blaine?"

"No… Sebastian."

_Oh._

_The boyfriend._

_Well, of course Kurt is not going to like this guy. _

_But he is taking this really…_

Burt's thoughts were interrupted when Kurt started sobbing uncontrollably, words spewing out of his mouth in incoherent sentences.

"I-I…. B-Blaine… S-said no, b-but… d-didn't stop…"

Red Flag.

Burt's heart speed up, his fatherly instincts kicking in as the fragments of the sentence he'd just heard fell together.

"Kurt…?" Burt hesitated, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer to this question or not. "Did he do something to you?"

The teenager's sobs grew louder and less controlled.

"Kurt… did Blaine hurt you?" Burt was growing angry.

"No!" Kurt sobbed. "He wouldn't!"

Burt breathed a sigh of relief.

_Okay, so… what the hell happened?_

Kurt glanced up at his father through the tears in his hazy eyes and the horrified look on the older man's face sent shockwaves through him. He suddenly dropped all of the barriers he'd put up and fell apart, spewing out the details and the information he'd learned about Blaine over the past weeks.

He told him about the summer job at the lawyer's office and the man who'd come on to Blaine sexually.

He told him about that same man blaming Blaine and causing him to be kicked out of his own home, abandoned by his own family once again.

Burt had to bite his tongue to refrain from interrupting Kurt with questions, concerns and profanities.

Then Kurt told him about Sebastian.

Burt Hummel couldn't believe what his son was telling him.

_Blaine had been… abused by his boyfriend. _

_Violently._

_The bruises, the looks of genuine fear, the distrust. _

_It all made sense. _

When Kurt hesitantly told his father about the unwanted sexual advances, Burt wanted to rip this Sebastian's head clear off.

No… he wanted to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat…

_That explained why Blaine had been so… sore. _

_Oh, Blaine._

_Poor Blaine._

_It was bad enough that the kid had an asshole for a father, but for him to end up with a boyfriend who would treat him so poorly? _

_Unbelievable._

_And what was this about a fight club?_

_These boys actually started a club where they… beat the hell out of each other, just for shits and giggles?_

_Wasn't there a movie about that?_

Kurt finished his story by telling his father how Blaine had kicked him out of the room, shouting angry, hurtful words at him.

It broke Burt's heart even more than he ever deemed possible.

Only because he knew that Blaine would never have meant those things towards Kurt.

_A silly bout of jealously would have been so much easier to deal with than this._

When Kurt finally finished talking, the emotions from six nights prior had resurfaced tenfold, sending him into a fit of hysterics.

Burt grabbed his son and pulled him into a tight embrace, ignoring the steady stream of tears that were pooling down his own face.

_How in the world am I going to fix this…?_

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kurt said the following morning. "He really, _really_ didn't want me here dad."

It had taken Burt several hours to calm his son down the previous evening. They'd eventually fallen back into Kurt's bed, where Burt remained until his son fell into a restless slumber.

He'd pulled the covers over Kurt's still form, and then slowly crept up the stairs to where Carole had remained seated in the living room, anxiously awaiting the explanation as to what had transpired over the past few hours.

They'd discussed it, and concluded that the only logical thing to do was for Burt to go to the motel and speak with Blaine himself.

Try and talk some sense into the boy.

Burt had decided to wait until the following morning to make his move, and was not at all surprised to find Kurt dressed and waiting by the door for him when he was ready to leave.

So now the pair of Hummels found themselves pulling into the parking lot of the run-down motel, the exterior of which sent chills up Burt's spine.

_This place is a dump. _

They climbed out of the car simultaneously and Kurt directed his father to room number fourteen.

Burt gingerly knocked on the door, unsure of what awaited behind it.

Would it be Blaine?

If it was Blaine, would he be relieved to see Burt? Angry? Afraid?

Or would it be Sebastian who answered the door?

If it was, Burt had plans to punch the supposed meerkat smirk right off his face.

Burt very much hoped it would be Sebastian who opened the door.

That asshole deserved what he was going to get.

But much to Burt's dismay, no sounds emitted from inside the motel room.

"He's not here." Burt announced with a disappointed sigh.

However, before he could step to the side to peek inside the broken window, Kurt had reached forwards and turned the knob of the unlocked door and stepped inside.

"Kurt!" The elder Hummel hissed. "You can't just… go in!"

Kurt never heard his father's words.

The scene that he found before him held him speechless.

Blaine's normally pristinely organized room was in complete shambles.

The pile of textbooks that had been neatly stacked on the desk was strewn all over the floor. There were papers scattered all over the room, including the newspaper clipping and the business cards. The pile of Kurt's clothes now lay in a messy heap on the floor next to the desk chair and the bed was… rumpled.

A shiver ran up Kurt's spine as he considered…

_No. _

_No. I'm not thinking about that. _

_I can't think about that._

Kurt noticed that the full-length mirror, which had been hanging on the wall across from the bathroom, had fallen from its hook. He realized at that point, that the mirror hadn't actually been hanging on the wall, but rather on a dingy looking door that obviously led into the adjacent room.

"Not much of a housekeeper hey?" Burt said, peeking his head inside the door. He was still quite nervous about just entering the boy's room without permission.

Or a key.

Kurt was stunned.

_Something happened here._

_Something bad._

"H-he… it shouldn't be like this…" He whispered, bringing his fingers up to cover his mouth.

His eyes caught sight of the broken guitar lying on the floor and his heart sunk.

'_Please be careful with it… it was my grandpa's…'_

The memory sliced him like a blade.

The guitar had obviously meant something to Blaine.

And now it was nothing but a piece of splintered wood and broken strings.

"Kurt… something happened here, didn't it?" His father's voice echoed from behind him.

Kurt took several steps forward, reached down and picked up the splintered pieces of wood. He turned back to where his father remained in the doorway, but he couldn't speak. He couldn't possibly form the words.

So instead, he nodded.

Kurt pulled the pieces of the broken instrument into his chest in an awkward embrace.

_What happened to you, Blaine?_

_Where are you?_

Burt stepped further inside the room and surveyed the damage.

"Do you think it was Sebastian?"

Kurt shrugged emotionlessly.

He didn't know.

He didn't know what had happened.

He didn't know anything anymore.

"Maybe he just ran off?" Burt offered. But he knew it was a lie.

Kurt was just about to answer when a chilling voice sounded from behind his father.

"Can I… help you with something?"

Burt spun around and came face to face with the most disgusting looking man he'd ever seen.

And he'd seen some nasty looking folks.

The man's hair was wiry, unkempt and greasy and his face was unshaven. He smelled as though he'd not showered in months and his eyes looked… dangerous.

"Uh… shit." Burt stuttered, backing himself up so he remained between this man and his son. "We musta got the wrong room."

"Yes…" The man sneered, unconvinced. "You musta."

He leaned over and looked beyond Burt to where Kurt stood dumbly in place.

His eyes roamed from Kurt's face, all the way down his body and back up again.

He licked his lips.

Burt's eyes narrowed at this man's inappropriate gesture and his anger began to rise.

He was about to speak when the man suddenly flashed his eyes back to Kurt's and he spoke with a raspy, methodical tone.

"Haven't we met before?"

Kurt's breath caught. His mind scrambled to form a coherent sentence.

"No." He squeaked. "I've never seen you before in my life."

_Yes, 'cause that's an original thing to say._

The man smirked, and then he licked his disgusting lips once again.

"Huh… just thought you looked quite familiar."

Kurt's voice left him at that point so he just shook his head frantically.

"Funny." The man chortled. "I never forget a…" He tilted his head and let his eyes obviously roam back down Kurt's torso before adding, "…a face."

"We're leaving." Burt cut in. He'd seen enough.

Blaine was obviously not here and that guy… was just… _wrong_.

The man took several steps back, allowing room for Burt to push his way past, closely followed by Kurt.

Just as they were about to climb into Burt's truck, the motel manager, who had been leaning against a cement pillar outside an adjacent room, looked at Kurt and smiled.

"Blaine's gone."

Burt almost stumbled over the cement cinder block lying in front of his truck.

He spun around and looked at the man, who was still very much staring at his son.

"What did you just say?" Burt growled.

Finally, the man turned his stare towards the elder Hummel and smiled once again.

Even his smile was disgusting.

His teeth looked yellow and rotten, obviously from years of neglect and tobacco use, and Burt was certain, if he'd tried, that he'd be able to smell the man's putrid breath from thirty feet away.

"I was just saying, if you're looking for Blaine… he's not here."

Burt narrowed his eyes at the filthy man before him. "Where is he?"

"Dunno." The man snapped, standing up from his position against the pillar and walking away from the two Hummels. "He dropped his keys off a couple days ago and said he was leaving. Something about staying with his boyfriend from now on. Filthy fags."

Burt and Kurt watched in disgust as the man stumbled his way past the remaining rooms and into the office.

"Let's go." Burt scoffed, turning towards Kurt. "That asshole is obviously useless."

Kurt nodded hesitantly before staring back sadly at the door labeled '14'.

_Oh, Blaine… I certainly hope you're safe._

* * *

Another week passed.

Kurt had all but given up hope of ever seeing Blaine again.

He resumed his normal routine of school and glee club, and Burt had lifted his punishment early, but something was still missing.

He could never quite get rid of the nagging voice in the back of his mind that something was still desperately wrong.

_Of course something is wrong. _

_Blaine is with Sebastian. _

_Sebastian is an asshole._

_He doesn't deserve Blaine._

His mind continued to weave itself though denial, doubt, sorrow and anger as the week progressed.

At times he'd find himself livid at Blaine's actions.

_Why would he do that to me? _

_Why would he get close to me like that and then push me away?_

Then there were times where he'd find himself silently crying to himself.

_I wonder if he's okay._

_What if…_

_No… I cannot play the what-if game… again._

So Kurt pretended to be okay, and immersed himself in schoolwork, shopping and glee practice.

But there was always that nagging voice.

* * *

Kurt decided to stop at the Lima Bean on his way home from school that evening for a non-fat mocha.

He'd fallen asleep three times during class; once during history (which wasn't all that uncommon), and twice during French.

Even though it was only Thursday night, Kurt had made the decision earlier to catch up on some of his homework that he'd been falling behind on.

He had a six page paper due Monday about the Czech uprising of 1968, a full list of verbs that needed conjugated for his French class, as well as some physics questions that he hadn't finished in class.

_Screw the non-fat mocha. I might need a triple espresso. _

_Or nine._

As he pushed open the metal door leading into the coffee shop, he was almost run over by a burly teenager with a mohawk carrying three cups of hot liquid.

"Jesus! Watch where you're…" The boy scolded while precariously rebalancing the three cups in his fingers with such concentration that his tongue stuck out from the corner of his mouth.

Kurt immediately recognized the tongue piercing.

"…Oh! Hey Hummel!" The teenager added cheerfully upon realizing that it was Kurt he'd almost mowed over.

"Hello, Noah." Kurt said, holding the door open for the other teen.

"Sup dude?"

Kurt rolled his eyes.

_There's no wonder why you and Finn are such good friends. _

"Not much, just grabbing a coffee. You?"

Noah Puckerman grinned. "Yep! Same here. Picking up some javas for a couple friends."

Kurt gave a subtle nod of approval and was about to say goodbye when Puck broke the silence.

"Dude, have you seen Blaine lately?"

Kurt's breath caught.

Puck never noticed the look of shock that was engraved on Kurt's face.

"That dude like… totally disappeared." The mowaked teen sounded almost concerned. "I haven't seen him in school, or football, or… uh… glee."

Kurt winced.

_Tell me something I don't know._

"He's… staying with a friend right now." Kurt supplied.

_It wasn't a total lie._

"Oh." Puck said dumbly. "That's weird. And shitty 'cuz that little shrimp could play some serious football!"

Kurt couldn't prevent the smile that formed delicately on the corner of his lips as he remembered the day he watched the football game with his dad.

_If only I'd been watching Blaine that day instead of wasting my time watching Finn._

Kurt looked up at the (much) larger football player standing next to him and smiled gently.

"I should go get my coffee now."

"Sure dude." Puck nodded. "But if you see Blaine… tell him that me and the… uh… rest of the guys miss him… okay? But don't make it sound too gay or anything alright?"

Kurt had smiled a genuine smile and nodded before turning to walk into the café when he heard his name being shouted from across the parking lot.

He turned quickly and saw a navy blue blazer headed in his direction.

_Nick_.

It didn't exactly surprise Kurt that the Warbler would be at the Lima Bean.

_Everyone deserves a cup of Lima's finest._

But what did surprise the hell out of Kurt was when the blazer-clad teen stopped in front of Noah Puckerman and helped himself to one of the cups of coffee that he was still balancing dangerously.

"Thanks Puck." Nick said with a grin.

Puck nodded, readjusted the two remaining cups in his hands and walked back in the same direction that Nick had just come from.

Kurt's eyes followed the mohawked teen, until he saw him climb into a white Cadillac and hand the final cup of coffee to yet another teen wearing a Dalton blazer.

This one however, Kurt did not recognize.

"How do _you_ know Puck?" Kurt asked, turning his eyes back to Nick, who now stood in front of him.

"We… uh, met through a mutual friend." Nick supplied casually.

Kurt couldn't help but notice the weirdness and hesitation that was etched into the teen's voice.

_Now what is he trying to hide?_

Kurt also noticed that Nick was quick to change the subject.

"Stopping for a coffee?"

Kurt raised an elegantly shaped eyebrow.

_Good observation chief._

"Yes." He forced a smile. "I have a lot of homework to do tonight."

Nick smiled weakly before looking around the busy parking lot cautiously. Kurt could tell that there was something on the other teen's mind, but it looked as though he was hesitant to talk about whatever it was.

"So… uh… Have you seen Blaine lately?"

Kurt's eyebrows popped up into his hairline.

_That was unexpected._

"Ummm… no." Kurt answered warily. "Haven't you?"

Kurt instantly noticed the change in Nick's demeanor as he shook his head.

He looked… worried.

"He… he hasn't talked to anyone from Dalton in almost a week."

Kurt's heart stuttered.

_Oh?_

"I thought he was staying at Sebastian's now." Kurt suggested curiously.

Nick narrowed his eyes, as though wondering how Kurt could have possibly come up with that information.

"Sebastian hasn't seen him since last Friday."

_Oh fuck._

"What?" Kurt couldn't help but allow his voice to climb several octaves with the single word that escaped his lips.

"He said he was over at Blaine's place Friday night, but they had an argument or something."

_Yeah… or something._

"Sebastian said Blaine was being a dick…"

_Riiight…Blaine was the one being a dick…_

"… and that he pissed him off so he just left."

_Yes, right after he threw Blaine across the room because he wouldn't have sex with him._

"He told me he went back to talk to him this week but he was gone. Everything was cleaned out of his place, as though he'd never even been there."

Kurt bit his bottom lip.

_This is so not good._

_If he is not at Sebastian's… Where the hell is Blaine?_

Nick looked at Kurt.

Kurt looked at Nick.

Neither teenager knew what to say.

Kurt certainly wasn't going to tell Nick about what happened the other night. He seemed to be friends with Sebastian, and he had no desire to get on that guy's bad side.

However… Blaine was still apparently missing.

Something had to be done.

"He was staying in a motel." Kurt blurted out without thinking. "In Lima Heights Adjacent."

"Shit…" Nick cursed. "Seriously?"

Kurt nodded.

"How do you…?" Nick started but he was interrupted.

"Don't ask. Just… trust me. He was there."

"Okay."

Kurt took a deep breath before a sudden thought hit him. "Did you say that the room was completely empty? Like there was nothing in there… at all?"

"That's what Sebastian told me."

_Hmmm… that's weird. There was still stuff there Monday night._

Kurt didn't mention to anyone (especially not his father) that he may or may not have made a quick stop at the motel room three nights ago on his way home from school.

He wasn't… exactly... _allowed_ to go back there, accordingly to his father, but he'd been dying of curiosity.

Plus, there was something he needed to do…

Nick interrupted his train of thoughts.

"Kurt? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I need to go see for myself." Kurt said, turning back towards the parking lot.

"What about your coffee?"

"Forget it. Are you coming or not?"

Nick looked as surprised as Kurt felt.

He had no idea why he'd asked Nick along, it didn't even make sense.

_I hardly even know this guy._

Nick sputtered a little bit before looking over to the white Cadillac.

"Uhhh… y-yeah." He stuttered. "Let me just go… check."

Kurt rolled his eyes once again.

_This kid has got some serious issues. _

"I'll be in my car. It's the black Navigator." He thumbed over to the general vicinity of this vehicle.

"Yeah… okay. I'll be there in a minute."

Kurt shook his head in disbelief and walked over to his car and waited for the strange boy in the blue blazer to return, all the while processing this new information.

_Blaine… where the hell are you?_

* * *

It wasn't exactly an awkward silence, but it wasn't particularly comfortable either.

Neither boy had much to say, so Kurt focused his attention on the road, and Nick continued to take thousands of tiny sips from his coffee cup.

Kurt couldn't fathom that there was even any liquid left in it.

"So…" He started, desperate to break the ice. "Dalton, hey?"

Nick looked over at Kurt and forced a thin smile to his lips. "Yeah. It's a good school."

"I don't really care for the uniforms… no offense, but other than that, it seems pretty cool."

Nick nodded. "You like McKinley?"

Kurt snorted.

He looked over to Nick while stopped at a red light and raised a single eyebrow.

"It's public school and I'm gay. Do the math."

Nick's eyes widened and his lips formed a round 'o'.

Kurt smiled to himself.

"Do you get bullied?"

"I used to…" Kurt explained sadly, unsure why he was so eager to open up to this boy he barely knew. "But then Blaine… h-he stood up for me and it hasn't been… as bad since."

"Blaine is a good guy."

"Yes he is." Kurt admitted, staring longingly out the window as the light turned green. He returned his glance forward and pressed his foot down on the accelerator, continuing on down the snow covered street.

"Are you dating the black eye guy?"

Kurt regretted the words the moment they'd slipped from his mouth.

_Not subtle Hummel. Not subtle at all._

"Jeff? Yeah, we've been together for a few months now."

_Oh. Didn't see that coming._

"I didn't mean to… pry or anything, I just saw you…_kiss_ him the other day."

Nick laughed. "Yeah… he gets a little _handsy_ at times."

"What happened to his face?"

"He…uh… walked into a door knob."

Kurt thought for a minute.

_The blonde he'd met at Dalton was tall. _

_Like six feet tall. _

_There's no way he walked into a doorknob._

_If he had… it wouldn't be his eye that got bruised._

Kurt winced at the thought, but decided to ignore the blatant lie.

"He's not… _from_ here is he?"

The tall brunette laughed again. "No, his family is from Perth. It's in Australia. They moved here about a year ago."

_Nailed it._

"You two are pretty… _comfortable_ with each other, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

Kurt sighed. "You're both obviously… _out_… right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You don't get hassled for it, at all?" Kurt wondered.

"Not even a little bit." Nick said proudly. "It's not like we're the only gay couple in school Kurt."

He looked at Kurt's surprised face before adding with a hearty laugh. "Dude… it's an all-boys private school… what did you expect?"

Kurt snorted.

_Touché_.

There were a few moments of silence as Kurt maneuvered the Navigator through the snowy streets.

"Kurt…" Nick asked quietly several minutes later. All hints of humor had been removed from his voice. "Do you think Blaine's okay?"

Kurt sighed. "I honestly don't know."

* * *

"Oh my god, this place is horrible." Nick exclaimed as the two teens pressed their way into the still unlocked room marked '14'. "Why would Blaine stay here _willingly_?"

Kurt shrugged, stepping into the dimly lit motel room. "I don't think he had a choice. I assume it's all he could afford."

When Kurt's eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, his heart stuttered in his chest.

Sebastian had been right. The room had been gutted.

Kurt wasn't expecting Blaine's belongings to still be strewn about the room, but… this was ridiculous.

The lamp was gone. The mirror was gone. Even the fridge had been taken out of the room.

What the hell happened?

The pair quickly toured around the suite that proved completely useless. There was literally nothing here that could prove that Blaine had ever even lived here.

Kurt was stumped.

_He's not here. _

_He's not at Sebastian's. _

_He's not at Dalton._

_He's not… anywhere._

His heart sunk as he considered the new realization.

_Blaine is… gone._

Kurt stood sadly in the middle of the empty room for several minutes before Nick's voice startled him back to reality.

"Uhhh, Kurt? We should probably go."

"Yeah, you're right." Kurt looked up at the teenager sadly. "There's nothing here."

The pair turned and walked back out to the car, but before Kurt climbed in, a thought struck him and he looked back at Nick, who was once again climbing into the passenger seat of the Navigator.

"Hold on, I just want to check one more place… I'll be right back."

Kurt quickly stepped back into the grungy motel room and headed straight towards the closet.

The same closet that he'd hidden in almost two weeks prior.

He opened the rickety door slowly, almost praying that Blaine would just pop out and yell 'surprise.'

Blaine didn't pop out.

There was no surprise.

There was nothing.

"Damn it Blaine! Where the hell are you?" He screamed.

He didn't really know why he screamed.

Well… knew why.

He was pissed off.

Frustrated.

Annoyed.

Worried.

Kurt took one last look around the room, breathed a heavy, defeated sigh and was about to turn around to leave when he heard something.

His head perked up and his eyes widened.

_What was that?_

The stood stock still in the middle of the room for several minutes listening for any sound that might tickle his eardrums.

Nothing.

_I swear to god, I heard something._

He wasn't even sure what kind of a 'something' that he'd heard.

A whisper?

Someone crying?

_What was it?_

Another sound ripped through the silence and this time Kurt heard it clearly.

It was a groan.

His mind raced as he moved over towards the wall on the east side of the room and pressed an ear to the peeling paint.

He listened for what seemed like forever.

Nothing.

But he'd heard something.

A groan.

Kurt considered this for a moment.

His mind wanted to tell him to grow up.

A groan. In a dodgy motel room.

_Do the math Kurt, do the math._

_Ew._

But his heart was telling him otherwise.

Something was pulling him towards that wall.

He needed to listen.

Kurt pressed his cheek flush against the filthy wall, sending a silent thought to himself that he would have to perform an extensive cleansing and moisturizing routine that night.

He listened for all he was worth.

Still nothing.

As he kept his face pressed tightly to the wall, he let his eyes roam the room once again, desperate to take in any new information.

Nothing.

He tried closing his eyes.

He'd heard once that blind people could hear better than most. Something about compensatory senses or something.

Nothing.

He kept his eyes closed and decided to try a new approach.

"Blaine?"

It was barely more than a whisper.

Silence.

A sound from the other side of the wall, several minutes later made Kurt jump back dramatically.

"Kuuurt?"

Kurt's heart dropped to the floor.

Had he imagined it?

He pressed his face back into the wall once again. "Blaine, is that you?"

Nothing.

_Damn it. _

Kurt's heart was racing now.

He'd heart it. He knew he'd heard it.

Blaine was here!

Blaine was on the other side of this wall!

Kurt looked around desperately. He needed to get through the wall.

Maybe he could pound his way through the wall with the desk chair.

Or maybe he could rip off a piece of pipe from the dingy-looking bathtub and carve his way through the plaster.

His eyes settled on the discolored portion of wall where the full-length mirror had been hanging only a few days before.

_Or I could just walk right into the room through that friggin' door. _

_{insert mental face palm}_

Kurt couldn't breathe as he walked over to the hidden door and placed his hand upon the dusty doorknob.

His heart was beating so fast, he was certain Nick could hear it from where he waited outside in the car.

He silently uttered a prayer to anyone who would listen as his fingers gingerly turned the knob.

It was unlocked.

Kurt gulped as he slid the door open only an inch.

He paused, listening for any sound and watching for any signs of movement.

Nothing.

He slid the door open another inch.

The dry, unused hinges creaked, shattering the silence and sending a wave of panic through his core. He froze, and his lips pulled in a silent gasp.

He closed his eyes.

_Seriously Kurt? Just because you can't see them… doesn't mean they can't see you…_

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. _

He unwillingly pried his eyes open once again and inched the door open enough so he could see inside.

It was dark. Incredibly dark.

There was no light coming in from any of the windows.

It was so dark inside the room that it was as though there were no windows at all.

Kurt stood silently peering into the room until his eyes adjusted to the lack of light before pushing the door open another three inches.

As much as he wanted to call out to Blaine, or even whisper, for that matter… no words would come.

Kurt cringed when the door hit something solid on the other side of the wall, shattering the silence once again with a loud bang.

He froze in place, too terrified to move.

He stood silently for several minutes without any indication of movement from the other room.

He peeked his head inside the opening in the doorway he'd created and looked through the darkness at what the door had bumped into.

A table.

Kurt closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pushed the door the remainder of the way open, nudging the table along with it.

A horrible high-pitched screeching noise accompanied the movement as the table slid across the tile floor.

Obviously there was no carpet in the adjoining room.

The door was now open enough that Kurt was able to turn sideways and stick his shoulder through, followed by his head… and then his…

_Damn these pear-shaped hips!_

He pushed the door open another two inches angrily; just enough to snugly slide his hips through.

He was inside the room.

And he had been right.

There was no light. Whatsoever.

He could see that there were blankets covering each of the windows, leaving the room in a state of chilled darkness.

Only a thin slice of dim lamplight illuminated in from the door that he'd just entered through.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, his pupils dilating to let in what little light remained.

He stepped further into the room, taking one agonizingly slow step after the other, until his shin was rudely introduced to yet another table.

"Gaaak"

_So much for stealth mode._

Kurt pressed his fingers to his shin, desperately trying to prevent any (more) sounds of agony from slipping through his clenched teeth.

_Really though, if no one has jumped out and grabbed me yet… _

_NO! I'm not going to think about that._

Kurt fumbled his way to the opposite wall and reached his hand up to where he could see the vague outline of a light switch.

When he flicked it on, he squinted as his eyes adjusted to the new light.

It wasn't bright… but…

_Oh fuck._

_Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!_

Kurt's jaw dropped as he looked around the newly lit room in a state of panic.

Cameras.

Everywhere, there were cameras.

He stood in the middle of the room, staring like a deer caught in the headlights.

Then he saw the bed.

And the chains.

And the wall.

Oh god, the wall.

There were… _tools_ hanging on the wall.

Or were they toys?

Were those… _handcuffs_?

Oh god.

What the fuck?

Red flag.

Red flag.

RED FUCKING FLAG.

Get out.

Get out now.

Kurt stumbled across the floor of the room towards the front door.

He needed out.

This was bad.

Really bad.

As Kurt hastily attempted to step over a box of… _something_ on his way to the door, he tripped and found himself flying forward. He reached his hand out to grab the only thing he could get a hold of, which ended up being a heavy blanket, which was draped over a large square… _something_.

As he tumbled to the ground, his elbow connecting harshly with the unforgiving floor, and Kurt let out another not-so-silent (or brave-sounding) howl.

When Kurt rolled over onto his front, his eyes focused on that previously covered large square… _something_.

It was now an uncovered, large square something.

Actually it was a box.

No, not a box.

A cage.

A shiver ran up Kurt's spine.

When his eyes located the contents of that box… no… that_ cage_… the acidic taste of bile instantly rose in his throat.

"B-Blaine?"

Kurt's eyes immediately filled with tears as he pulled himself up, ignoring the screaming pain in his elbow.

There, lying against the far wall of… _the cage_… lay the curly-haired boy he'd been desperately seeking out.

Blaine was lying curled up on his side, with his knees pulled up into his chest and his back towards Kurt, but he was definitely _not_ moving.

"B-Blaine?" Kurt sobbed again.

He reached his arm in through the bars of the… _cage_… trying desperately to rouse the motionless boy.

His trembling fingers came to within inches of the boy's back… but no further.

_I can't reach him._

"Blaine? Can you hear me?" Kurt pleaded desperately.

No response.

Kurt fumbled his way around the side of the cage, desperate to see Blaine's face.

Desperate to see his beautiful honey-brown eyes again.

His jaw dropped and his breath stuttered when he got to the opposite side of the cage and found that his wish had been granted.

Blaine's eyes were open.

But they weren't beautiful.

They were empty.

He was just staring. At nothing.

He barely recognized the boy in the cage.

His face was hollow, and far paler than Kurt ever deemed possible.

And covered in a thick growth of dark stubble.

"B-Blaine?" Kurt was unable to form any other words.

Blaine's eyes never registered the sound.

"Blaine, please! Look at me!" Kurt was begging.

Nothing.

The emptiness behind the boy's eyes was endless.

Kurt reached his hand in between the metal bars and gently placed his still-trembling fingers on the boy's neck.

There was a pulse.

Kurt stared at Blaine's chest. It was rising and falling slowly. Shallowly.

He was breathing.

But why wouldn't he respond?

"Blaine!" He shouted, reaching his other hand inside the bars and shaking the boy harshly. "Please! Just… please!"

Blaine's lifeless eyes flickered.

Kurt's widened. "Blaine? Can you hear me?"

Another flicker.

"Damn it, Blaine!" Kurt shouted, vigorously shaking the dazed boy once again. "Please, look at me!"

Kurt's chest ached when he saw Blaine's dead eyes drift lazily from where they'd been fixed on the wall across from him and his eyelids sunk, causing them to almost completely fall closed.

_Is he drunk?_

"Blaine!" Kurt begged, placing his hands on either side of the boy's face. "Please wake up!"

The hazel eyes slowly drifted back open and Blaine moved his head slightly in Kurt's general direction.

Such a simple movement looked as though it had taken an excessive amount of effort.

"Blaine. It's me. It's Kurt. Please just… just, look at me."

The eyes drifted back closed.

_He must be drugged or something._

"Blaine, stay with me." Kurt sobbed, tears pouring down his face. "Please… just… stay with me."

Kurt moved back to the front of the cage, desperate to rip the doors open and pull the boy into his arms.

It was locked.

With a padlock.

The lock itself looked old and rusted, but after pulling on it with all his strength, Kurt was unable to pry it open.

He began to hyperventilate.

_I need to get him out. _

_Oh god Blaine… what do I do?_

Kurt hesitated, but then stood up from his place on the floor next to the cage and looked around the filthy, crowded motel room. His eyes came to rest on a fire extinguisher next to the window and he ran over and picked it up.

He carried it back over to the cage, but before he lifted it above his head he whispered to the still unmoving boy.

"This is going to be loud. I'm sorry."

Somehow he knew that Blaine never heard the words.

Kurt brought the heavy fire extinguisher as high above his head as he could muster, before bringing it down heavily on top of the rusted lock with a loud bang.

Nothing.

He tried again and again.

No change.

"Damn it!" He screamed, out of breath.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime later, the lock finally gave away and broke off.

Kurt tossed the heavy metal canister to the side and roughly ripped open the cage door.

He awkwardly reached in and pushed his hands underneath Blaine's still form. One arm under his upper back and one below his knees.

Kurt grunted slightly pulling the boy out of the cage.

Blaine's body was a dead weight.

Once he had successfully extricated him from his cold, metal prison, Kurt gathered the boy into his arms and held him close.

Blaine was shivering violently. His breaths were coming in short, shallow gasps now, but his eyes were still completely hazed over and unfocused.

"B-Blaine… what did they do to you?"

Blaine's eyes drifted closed for a moment before it looked as though he'd made a conscious effort to open them back up and move his dead stare towards the voice above him.

"Blaine? Can you hear me?"

For the first time, Blaine acknowledged Kurt's desperate pleas.

He nodded.

It was a tiny, almost unnoticeable nod, but to Kurt it felt as good as if he'd screamed out to him.

"Oh, Blaine!" He sniffed, holding the tiny teenager even tighter in his shaking arms.

"It's going to be okay now. I'm going to get you out of here."

"Kuuurt?"

Blaine's parched, cracked lips barely moved, and for a moment, Kurt was almost certain he'd imagined it.

Blaine had spoken his name.

The single word had sounded sick, weak, and broken.

But he'd spoken.

He was still in there somewhere.

"It's me Blaine. I'm here." Kurt rocked him back and forth. "I've got you."

"C-cam" Blaine whispered weakly before his eyes drifted closed once again. It was as though the boy was struggling with all his strength to keep himself awake.

Kurt frowned.

_Cam?_

_Who's Cam?_

"Blaine, honey… who is Cam?" Kurt asked softly, rubbing gentle circles into Blaine's back. "Is that who did this to you?"

A gentle shake of Blaine's head answered the question.

"Wa… watch…" Blaine's voice was raspy and rough, as though he'd not spoken in weeks.

_Perhaps he hadn't._

"Blaine," Kurt said sadly, looking down at the boy's heavily bruised wrists. "You're watch is gone."

"N-no…" Blaine slurred as a frustrated tear streamed down his cheek. "He's watchin…"

But he didn't finish his sentence. His eyes appeared to grow heavy once again and they slipped closed, and his body became suddenly more relaxed in Kurt's arms.

"Blaine! Wake up!" Kurt exclaimed, propping the boy up once again and tapping on his bruised cheek. "Please, open your eyes! Look at me, Blaine! Look at me!"

No response.

_Oh god. _

_We have to go. _

_I have to get him out of here. He needs a hospital._

_Nick can drive. I need to be with Blaine._

Kurt stood up awkwardly, lifting Blaine up simultaneously and held the boy securely in his arms.

He nestled Blaine's face carefully into the spot between his neck and his collar bone and carried him gracefully across the room.

Kurt was about three feet from the front door when it suddenly swung open, and the motel manager stepped in, with a devastating look of anger mixed with… what almost looked like… _hunger_ in his eyes.

Kurt was so startled that he almost allowed the boy to slip from his grasp.

The moment Kurt saw the devastatingly horrible look on the man's face the pieces of the puzzle just fell into place.

_Blaine had never made it to Sebastian's._

The thought made Kurt's stomach churn.

_What had this sick monster done to Blaine?_

Horrible, gut-wrenching images suddenly flooded Kurt's imagination, burning permanent holes into his mind's eye.

The bed.

The chains.

The handcuffs.

The… cameras.

Kurt started shaking so violently that his hand actually slipped out from underneath Blaine's knees and he nearly dropped him.

Blaine's eyes slipped open slightly at the sudden movement, but when he saw that the man had entered the room, and was now standing only feet away from him, (and _Kurt_) it was as though a new wave of strength overcame him and he was instantly fully alert.

"No. Pleassse donnn hurr hmmm…" He slurred. The multitude of drugs in his system made it impossible to remain fully cognisant.

"Hello Blaine." The man snarled. "I see you invited company."

Kurt remained speechless, Blaine still held firmly in his arms. The muscles in his shoulders began to burn from holding onto the other teenager, but he was so terrified that he didn't even notice.

"You know I'm always up for a third." The man added with a disgusting grin that made Kurt's skin crawl.

The man's incongruous words haunted Kurt, but they also empowered him.

_You will not fucking touch him again._

"Get out of my way." Kurt growled, in a pitch that even surprised himself. "I'm taking him to the hospital."

The monster smiled, his disgusting, rotten teeth showing through his thin lips. "No, Kurt. I don't think you will."

Another chill ran up Kurt's spine when he heard his own name spoken with such distaste.

"Get out of my way." He repeated in a voice even more fierce than before.

"What are you gonna do, princess?" The man sneered. "You think _you_ can get past _me_?"

Kurt's mind raced.

He mentally calculated the amount of time it would take him to turn around and run back though the side door into the adjacent room.

Not an option while he was holding Blaine.

_And there's no way I'm leaving him behind again._

His cell phone!

…was sitting in the cup holder in the console of his car.

_Nick! You need to call the police!_

"P-please just let him go." Kurt cursed his voice for failing him. "You've hurt him so much already."

"Hurt him?" The man looked amused. "Oh baby, you don't understand. He screamed for me. He loved every minute of it."

Kurt had to close his eyes and concentrate to prevent himself from vomiting.

"Wanna see?" The man said with a grin. "Put him on the bed."

Several tears had made their way down Kurt's cheeks, and when he looked down at the boy in his arms, his heart broke into a thousand jagged pieces.

Blaine looked terrified.

His eyes were wider than they'd been since Kurt had found him and his bottom lip was quivering.

But what Kurt didn't know, was that Blaine was not afraid for himself.

"Do it." He whispered shakily.

Kurt gasped. "W-what?"

"D-do what he says. Let him have me." Blaine's words were slow and calculated, as though it took every ounce of effort for his brain to connect each syllable. "You n-need to run away."

Tears slipped from Kurt's cheeks and landed onto Blaine's ratted clothes. When Kurt looked closer, he was horrified to see that they were the same clothes that Blaine had been wearing almost 2 weeks prior.

They were Kurt's clothes.

But they were so dirty and torn that Kurt had never even realized that they should look familiar.

"I-I'm not leaving you here." Kurt stuttered.

"That's sweet." The filthy man interrupted. "Now… put him down on the bed."

"No." Kurt shot the man the most harsh bitch glare that he could muster. "You're not going to touch him ever again."

To Kurt's horror, the man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shiny silver handgun.

"Actually, Kurt. I think I'm gonna do exactly what I want." He smirked, aiming the pistol. "Now, do as I say and put him on the bed, and I won't shoot you. I'm gonna fuck him raw. I'm gonna make him scream. And… I'm gonna make you watch."

Kurt gagged.

No no no no no no no

He felt Blaine begin to tremble in his arms.

"K-Kurt… please…" Blaine sobbed. "Just do as he wants."

Kurt stood in the middle of the room in complete shock.

He didn't know what to do.

"Kurt… I'm going to count to three. If that little bitch isn't splayed out facedown on the bed for me when I get to three… you're gonna have big problems. Got me?"

"One…"

Kurt began to shake violently.

_What do I do?_

"Two…"

_Oh my god…_

"Thre…"

"STOP!" Kurt screamed. "I'll do it."

"What?" The man with the gun asked.

"I'll do it." Kurt repeated. "I'll do whatever you want."

The man looked at Kurt incredulously.

Blaine struggled in Kurt's exhausted arms.

"Kurt… no! What are you doing?"

Kurt looked at the horrified boy in his arms sadly before setting him carefully on the floor next to the bed.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but you leave Blaine alone."

The man's eyes light up like a thousand candles.

"Get on your knees."

Kurt's eyes widened when he realized that the man had instantly taken him up on his offer.

"Kurt!" Blaine sobbed. "Please stop! Don't let him do this!"

Kurt closed his eyes momentarily, gathering up his remaining strength.

"I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore Blaine."

"No Kurt! Please! You don't know what he'll do to you!"

Kurt looked away from the malnourished boy who remained on the floor several feet to his left, so weak and doped up with drugs that he was unable to move his limbs.

"Kurt, stop! Please! Just go!" Blaine was hysterical. "He's already… ruined me. Please don't let him hurt you too."

Kurt's chest ached at the boy's heart-breaking words.

But he took a deep breath before he closed his eyes.

And slowly dropped to the floor.

He could still hear Blaine screaming desperately next to him, but he couldn't make out his words, and he refused to look at him.

He needed to be brave.

_Courage_.

Blaine had been through… who knows what kind of hell over the past… who knows how long…

_I can do this. _

_For Blaine._

The man greedily stepped over Blaine's trembling form until he stood directly in front of Kurt.

He stared down at the porcelain-skinned teenager kneeling in front of him and a twisted grin formed on his face.

"I want you to suck me off, princess."

Kurt clenched his eyes closed and balled up his fists as he heard the man unzip his filthy, sweat stained jeans.

By this time, the monster was close enough to him that he could smell his putrid breath.

That alone was enough to make Kurt gag.

_I have to do this. _

_For Blaine._

The man palmed himself inside his jeans, and Kurt's mind began to race.

_I have to do something._

_I need to get Blaine out of here._

_Where's Nick? Why hasn't he come looking for me?_

When the man reached inside his jeans and started fondling himself, Kurt had to turn his head away.

The monster roughly grabbed his chin and brought his face back towards him.

"Don't be scared princess…"

Kurt struggled away from the man, which only earned him a violent slap across the face.

"Don't fuck with me!" The man shouted.

Blaine's screams intensified. "Leave him alone!"

Kurt continued to wriggle away.

He crawled desperately, on his hands and knees away from the man until he heard a terrifying click.

Kurt turned around slowly to see that the man had lifted Blaine up off the floor and had the gun pressed tightly to the boy's left temple.

Blaine's eyes were once again wide and tears were pooling down his bruised cheeks.

"Run Kurt! Just go!"

The man lifted Blaine up off the floor by pulling on the boy's curls, eliciting a pained scream from the frail teenager.

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks.

"Stop it!" He begged. "You're hurting him!"

"I'll fucking kill him if you don't get over here and suck me off!"

Kurt was sobbing uncontrollably.

"One…"

"Two…"

"S-stop!" Kurt shouted again.

He crawled his way back over to where the man stood, with Blaine dangling helplessly beside him.

"P-put him down f-first."

"No! Kurt!" Blaine wailed. "Please don't do this!"

The man literally dropped Blaine onto the floor in a heap with a sinister laugh.

While the monster's head was dropped, taking in the sight of Blaine, who was now writhing in agony on the floor, Kurt jumped at his sudden opportunity.

He grabbed a glass lamp that was lying next to him and leapt up from the floor, swinging the makeshift weapon wildly.

The glass base of the lamp shattered upon impact with the man's face, leaving behind an array of cuts and scratches.

"Arrrghh!" The man screamed. "You little shit!"

Kurt darted around him, wrapped his hands around Blaine and lifted the still-sobbing boy back into his arms.

They didn't get three steps before the monster attacked.

He'd grabbed the remainder of the broken lamp and swung it fiercely, catching Kurt in the neck.

The broken glass sliced into the left side of his neck, just under his ear, and a profuse amount of blood came pouring out.

Kurt screamed in agony, and a second hit connected with his torso. He was thrown off balance and lost his grip on Blaine, who tumbled to the floor once again.

The man charged at Kurt, knocking him to the floor and then sat heavily on his already heaving chest.

The monster stared into Kurt's wide eyes.

His eyes were black.

Kurt had never seen such terrifying eyes in all his life.

He would never forget those black eyes.

He squeezed his own closed, desperate to clear the sight from his memory.

The man put his left hand back into the fly of his jeans and started fondling his growing hardness, while his other hand remained on the gun still cocked and pointed at a terrified Blaine, who sat only inches away.

"You're gonna suck me off now, you little bitch." The man growled. "Or so help me, I'm gonna put a bullet between your boyfriend's eyes!"

Kurt refused to open his eyes.

_Maybe it won't be so bad if I can't see it._

"Open your fucking eyes and look at me or I'm gonna fucking shoot him!"

Kurt couldn't do it. He couldn't open his eyes.

_I can't do this._

_I can't do this._

"LOOK AT ME!"

_I'm so sorry Blaine._

_I can't…_

**BANG!**


	24. Now Do You See?

**Ch. 21 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – I love that you just… get it. You understand all the little things in my story. They emotional and psychological connected between Kurt and Blaine has been lingering throughout the story. I love that you picked up on the fact that Kurt felt more emotionally drained and horrible as Blaine's situation became worse and worse. They are soulmates – forever bound together mentally, emotionally, and physically. Thank you for yet another, amazing and heartfelt review. I appreciate you.

**WritingGeek27116** – Ohhh you… you always find a way to make me laugh. Even after the most horrific chapters my dark little brain could ever think of… You are undoubtedly my comic relief. THE CAPITAL LETTERS MAKE IT SO MUCH FUNNIER! I'm sorry I got you so upset in that last chapter… it was a really rough one. Hard to write… that's for sure. Your hugs definitely helped though, so THANK YOU!

**Kittycats131** – I'm not sure if your comment was a good thing or a bad thing… "The most *INTENSE* fanfic you've ever read…" I hope it's a good thing! I'm enjoying writing it! Thanks for your review!

**Klainer96** – Here's your update! Thanks for your dedication and support!

**Remo** – Here's the update you ordered! Thanks so much for your review! Sorry I left you hanging for so long!

**Justanotherfangurl** – Yes… yet another cliffhanger. I'm a sucker for a dramatic ending to a chapter. ;) Thank you so much for your kind words! You inspire me!

**DrocoCriss** – I'm sorry I made you cry! You should know by know that I live for cliffhangers!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Thanks so much for your reviews! I'm glad you were able to catch up with the story! I'm sorry it was such a rough couple of chapters. Your reviews always make me smile… you just get so EXCITED AND EVERYTHING IS IN CAPS ALL THE TIME! Ha ha ha! I love it!

**Anderpson** – Yes! Someone needs to come to the rescue… but who? ;)

**Springbay** – I'm sorry to hear that you are having a hard time reading this story… please stick with me… you know that Klaine is ALWAYS endgame!

**Justagirlwithbigdreams** – I love your user name! Thanks so much for your review! Here is the update you asked for… ;)

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Thank you for your review! You're right, these past few chapters have been increasingly hard to write. I hate to see Blaine suffer just as much as you guys… honest! (I'm not some sadistic weird-o… I swear.)

**Msdarque** – Poor Blaine. What HAS he gotten himself into? He was trying so hard to protect those he loves, no matter what the cost to himself.

**Sara (guest)** – Thank you for your review! I love hearing from you! Yes… there are some emotional things happening in this next chapter… hope you enjoy it!

**Mzjem** – I'm so sorry that you had a hard time with those chapters. They were AWFUL. No other words come close to describing them. They were so difficult to write. Be thankful that Blaine has people that love him to help him through the darkness.

**GleekCow13** – Thanks so much for your review! I appreciate it! Are you still sitting there in a pile of denial? I think you'll enjoy this next chapter!

**Purpleview** – Please don't stop breathing. That is never a good thing… ;) Keep reading… I promise it will be worth the wait…

**Jittermeenz** – Ohhh… I'm sorry I made you sob. Please don't cry… Klisses and Kluddles!

**Sky** – Yes… I do love the suspense! Hopefully you do too! Hang in there… Thanks for your review!

**Moioui** – Thanks so much for your extremely generous words! It means so much to me when people genuinely care about my writing! I never dreamed that I'd get this far or have this many people so interested in what I have to say! I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

**Ritza71** – Wow! Thank you for your amazingly kind review! I appreciate all your kind words! Hopefully I haven't left you in an emotional puddle since the last update…

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Wow. I can't get over the response from the last chapter! I actually felt a bit guilty for leaving you guys hanging like that… I guess I was worried for nothing. I thought you'd all hate me for doing that to poor Blaine.**

**Thank you all SO MUCH for reading and reviewing! You are all just so… AMAZING! LOVE YOU!**

**XOXO**

**-RH**

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

* * *

Chapter 24

The bang made Kurt's ears ring.

It was so loud that it reverberated through his core, echoing off each of his bones and sending shockwaves through his entire trembling body.

The horrific high-pitched scream that followed the gunshot chilled him to the bone.

He didn't even realize that the scream had escaped his own lips.

Then came the blood.

So much blood.

He felt it immediately spray up and splatter across his cheeks.

The warm, thick liquid oozed down his forehead and dribbled into his tightly clenched eyes.

Kurt could feel it trickle down his nose and into his mouth.

The coppery flavored life force snuck past his lips, which had been parted for only a fraction of a second, as he released a silent scream.

Kurt remained fixed in his position on the floor, eyes still clenched tight, too terrified to move even an inch.

_This is my fault._

_Why didn't I just open my eyes?_

_The monster shot Blaine._

_I'm covered in Blaine's blood._

_Blaine is dead._

* * *

Kurt Hummel hated funerals.

He never really got the point of them.

_The person is dead._

_It's not like they're going to care if you sing sad songs and bring lots of flowers._

Someone told him when he was eight that funerals were more for the living, than for the dead.

_What the hell does that even mean?_

_How can this funeral be for me?_

_I'm not laying in that casket._

_I'm not the one who is never going to open my eyes again._

_I'm not the one who will never speak again._

_I'm not the one who is dead._

_Maybe I should be, but I'm not. _

Kurt shrugged his shoulders, trying to knock the sudden chill that had found its way up his spine.

It was cold.

Too cold.

Too cold to be outside at some stupid funeral.

He felt a hand press firmly on his shoulder.

The feeling of safety and comfort that usually accompanied his father's loving touch was absent today.

He loved his father.

But today he couldn't feel love towards anyone.

Today he hated the world.

None of this should have happened.

Blaine should never have been in that motel room.

He should never have been beaten up by those bullies two years ago.

He should not have been wrongfully accused by Jeremiah.

_Stupid Jeremiah._

His parents should never have kicked him out.

He should never have gotten involved with Sebastian.

_Stupid Sebastian._

He should have stayed away from the Dalton Fight Club.

He should have never been in that motel room.

This all started because someone couldn't accept the fact that Blaine was gay.

Then everything had spiraled out of control.

Another chill raced up Kurt's spine, causing him to shiver violently, but it had nothing to do with the ambient temperature.

The motel room.

Kurt was certain that he'd never get the images out of his mind.

He absently raised a hand up and ran his gloved fingers over the white bandage that was taped to the left side of his neck.

_It should have been me._

Kurt looked across the cemetery at the small group of people dressed in black standing around the large square hole in the ground.

There weren't many people.

He must not have been that important.

Kurt had made his father promise him before they'd even left for the cemetery that he wouldn't have to go close.

He couldn't.

He didn't want to see their faces.

He didn't want to hear their cries.

So he and Burt had stood off to the side; far enough away that Kurt couldn't hear the words coming from the minister.

He didn't want to hear him talk about him.

He couldn't take it.

There had been hundreds of people at his mother's funeral.

Kurt couldn't recall the events of the entire day but he remembered that people kept hugging him, ruffling his hair, and telling him to be brave.

He didn't understand why he needed to be brave.

His mother had died.

Why did he need to be brave?

Would that bring her back?

No.

The only other funeral that Kurt had ever attended was for his hamster that had died when he was eleven.

It was a sad day.

He and his father had stood in the backyard over the tiny grave.

Burt had looked (and felt) awkward, but he'd never tell Kurt that.

They'd dressed up in their finest outfits and had a fitting service.

This was different.

Today was not a fitting service.

Kurt didn't want to even be at the cemetery.

He had better places to be.

_Anywhere but here._

Burt had told him it was important that he get closure.

_What does that even mean?_

Closure.

_It's not like I'm ever going to forget what happened._

Kurt instinctively closed his eyes, trying to calm his trembling nerves.

_I shouldn't be here._

_I should be…_

Within seconds of closing his eyes, a wave of fear bubbled in his chest and he ripped them open desperately.

_I can't close my eyes._

_I have to keep them open._

He hadn't slept since… _that_ night.

Every time he closed his eyes he could hear it.

See it.

Feel it.

It just wouldn't go away.

_The cries. _

_The screams. _

_The blood._

Kurt looked over as he noticed the people moving away from the hole in the ground.

They were lowering the casket.

He felt a sudden flash of panic flood his chilled veins.

_He's going away now. _

_Forever._

_I won't ever see him again. _

_He's dead._

_DEAD._

Kurt began trembling underneath his father's strong grip.

_The cries. _

_The screams. _

_The blood._

He felt his knees begin to quiver slightly and vaguely heard his father ask him if he was okay.

His breathing became rapid and his head started to spin.

_The cries. _

_The screams. _

_The blood._

Tendrils of darkness grew at the corners of his eyes.

_Please… don't let me fall asleep! _

_He always comes back when I fall asleep!_

Kurt desperately struggled to keep his eyes open, but they felt so… _heavy_.

_The cries. _

_The screams. _

_The blood._

_Blaine. _

_Oh god, Blaine. _

He felt his father turn him around as he stood on shaky legs.

His knees finally gave out and he felt himself fall.

But he never hit the ground.

He was gasping now.

_The cries. _

_The screams. _

_The blood._

He could feel the burning in his chest from a lack of circulating oxygen.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a brief flash of Blaine's smiling face, complete with those beautiful hazel eyes entered his vision.

And then there was darkness.

* * *

Burt Hummel hated hospitals.

The smell.

The pristine white… everything.

The constant rushed, anxious feeling that flowed down the ancient hallways.

Burt remembered when Kurt was six and he'd fallen out of the treehouse in the backyard while having a tea party with his friend Mercedes.

They'd rushed the bawling boy to the ER immediately where the doctor was able to reset it and place a cast on it.

A pink cast.

At Kurt's insistence.

The gave him a sucker and a Disney Princess sticker (also at Kurt's insistence) and sent them on their way.

Then there was Elizabeth.

Oh, Elizabeth.

Many, many trips to the hospital.

Doctor's appointments, oncologists, surgeries, and then, during the final few weeks, the palliative care ward.

_Oh, Elizabeth. I could use your wisdom right now._

Burt sighed, looking back at the face of the pale boy lying curled up on his side in the hospital bed next to him.

_I don't know what to do._

_You always knew what do to._

Burt adjusted his position in the unforgivingly hard white plastic chair.

His ass was asleep… again.

He should be used to this by now.

Keeping vigil at the bedside of one he loved.

It was eight years ago that his sweet Elizabeth had passed away. Ripped away from her loving family far too early.

Burt had hoped he'd never have to do this again.

He wasn't sure if he could handle it.

Unknowing if the boy in the bed next to him would ever be the same again.

_Kurt shouldn't have to deal with something this… awful._

_No one should._

Burt sighed again, contently watching the slow rise and fall of the boy's breathing.

_I should have done something._

_I should have done more._

The boy's breath catches, disrupting the steady pattern of inhalations and exhalations.

Burt's eyes widened when he saw the familiar pale face scrunch up in discomfort.

_He's dreaming again._

He reached his hand out and placed it gently on top of the pale, much smaller fingers on the bed.

He couldn't help but notice the similarity in the pigment of the boy's hand and the color of the pristine white hospital sheets.

He gave the cool fingers a tender squeeze, leaned in and whispered softly.

"It's okay… it's going to be okay, son."

After painting soothing patterns into the back of the boy's knuckles with his large callused thumb, Burt moved his fingers up and gently spun the green plastic hospital bracelet around the boy's thin, bony wrist.

_He's too skinny. _

_He's always been too skinny._

"You're going to be okay." He whispered again.

He continued this repetitive routine; gentle whispers of hope and strength followed by tender touches of this fingers.

Burt's exhausted eyelids became heavy, and soon he fell under his own hypnotic spell and quietly drifted away.

It's several minutes later when he wakes up with a start. He instinctively glanced over to the bed once again, but this time he is pleasantly surprised to see a pair of wide eyes staring back at him.

"You're awake!" Burt smiled, clearing his throat. "I thought you were going to sleep forever!"

After receiving no response what so ever, Burt then realized with a pang in his chest, that the large, sad eyes are not staring at him, but rather looking right past him.

They were empty.

There was no focus in them at all.

"Hey buddy, can you hear me?"

Nothing. The eyes continued to stare aimlessly past him.

"It's okay son, you're safe now."

Burt's heart leaped when the sad eyes flickered slightly.

The boy slowly, carefully moved his eyes towards him and this time came to rest equally with his own.

They're still empty.

Lifeless.

Hopeless.

Helpless.

Burt cautiously lifted his hand up and placed it onto of the bed, mere inches away from the pale white one that was now firmly clenching at those pristine white sheets.

Clenching so hard that his knuckles looked impossibly translucent.

He didn't want to scare him.

"It's just me here, okay?" Burt whispered softly. "No one else is here."

The boy's eyes slip out of contact with Burt's and he realizes that he is looking around the room slowly.

"You're at the hospital." Burt affirmed, inching his hand slightly closer to the one clenched on the bed.

After receiving no hint of response, Burt quietly cleared his throat and continued.

"Do you… remember what happened?"

The eyes drifted closed and his eyebrows furrowed deeply as though painfully trying to hide the horrific memories, which plagued his vision.

Several minutes later, the pair of eyes popped open once again and the boy glanced around the room frantically.

Burt doesn't need to ask.

He knows exactly what those pained eyes are looking for.

Or rather _who_.

Even after all that had happened, he was still so worried about his friend.

Burt sat up straighter in his chair and gently took hold of the boy's trembling hand.

The fingers tremble slightly inside of his own, and he didn't miss the tiny flinch at the initial contact.

The boy's eyes returned to meet Burt's, wide and uncertain.

"He's okay." Burt confirms.

The boy in the bed looked doubtful.

"Kurt just went downstairs to get a coffee. He should be back any minute."

Blaine's eyes instantly relax, just slightly, and his hand became less rigid inside of Burt's.

The elder Hummel's chest ached when he saw the look of relief, mixed with guilt, sorrow and devastation cross the boy's bruised and battered face.

"He's gonna be pissed that you woke up without him."

The boy returned his gaze to the floor, every shred of emotion erased from his face.

"He's been sitting here with you ever since…" Burt hesitated. "… ever since you got here."

Blaine's eyes still didn't leave their fixed position.

"I basically had to push him out the door to go eat after 19 straight hours of him sitting here watching you sleep." Burt said with a chuckle.

There was still no response from the curly-haired boy.

Burt had hoped that his attempted humor would take away some of the sadness from the boy's honey-brown eyes, but it almost looked as though the sadness was now swirled with hints of guilt.

"It's not your fault Blaine." Burt reassured softly. "You didn't do anything wrong."

His heart breaks a little more as he sees the lonely tear stream down the boy's cheek as he nestled himself further into the bed, trying his hardest to keep his eyes averted from the older man sitting next to him.

_He just looks… broken._

Burt couldn't understand how Blaine had even survived the atrocities that he'd been living through over the past several weeks.

Or months.

No one was really sure when things had gotten so bad.

As it had turned out, Kurt had wisely taken a friend with him when he'd gone back to the motel.

Nick…_something_.

As Burt understood it, Kurt had left the other teenager in the car while he went searching inside the motel room.

Apparently that creepy fuck of a motel manager had recognized Kurt's vehicle and had been waiting in the parking lot to attack the boys when they returned to the car.

Burt had been riddled with guilt ever since he'd learned that it had indeed been the manager who'd been hurting Blaine all this time.

He'd known that something had been off with that disgusting pig of a man.

But he'd done nothing about it.

And he'd almost forced his son to…

Burt shuddered.

_No. I can't think about that again._

When only Nick had returned to the vehicle, the manager had bashed him in the head with the butt of a pistol, knocking him unconscious and had then gone inside to find Kurt.

Nick had suffered a moderate concussion, but woke up a little while later, and immediately called the police with Kurt's phone that had luckily been in the car.

The police arrived minutes later and once Nick had told them what had transpired, they immediately knocked down the door of the adjoining motel room.

They'd walked in on the man pointing a gun towards Blaine and forcing Kurt to his knees.

The seasoned officers reacted instantaneously and fired off an immediate kill shot.

The monster was dead.

The moment he'd gotten the call from the police that snowy afternoon, Burt had gone into protective papa mode, quickly rushing to the hospital to check on the status of the two injured boys.

Kurt had been brought to the hospital in the same ambulance as Blaine.

Apparently he'd hysterically screamed his way into the back of the truck because he wouldn't let go of Blaine's hand.

Kurt had suffered a deep laceration to the left side of his neck, but fortunately it had missed the carotid artery by less than an inch.

When they'd pulled him out of the motel room, he'd been covered in blood, with his eyes tightly closed.

The police that had arrived on scene said he was rocking back and forth repetitively whispering _'I can't. I'm sorry, I can't.' _over and over again.

They said it took them more than fifteen minutes to convince him to open his eyes.

Once he had, Kurt realized that it wasn't Blaine who'd been shot and he'd desperately clung to the unresponsive boy from that moment on.

By the time the ambulance arrived at the motel room, Blaine had fallen unconscious again.

The paramedics said he was severely dehydrated, malnourished and in a complete state of shock.

He was almost dead.

Once they got him to the hospital, he'd been immediately stabilized then moved upstairs to the surgical ward.

He'd required reconstructive surgery to repair the damage to his left shoulder. The doctors couldn't believe how he'd been able to tolerate the pain it must have been causing him for so long.

The doctors also mentioned that Blaine had many other unhealed fractures.

They figured some of the damage was from his attack two years prior.

The rest Blaine had acquired in the months since then.

Blaine also had extensive internal damage where he'd been forced into penetrative sex.

It had taken the surgical team three hours to repair the carnage.

The doctors told Burt that the damage was so significant that Blaine would likely be unable to walk for at least a week.

Maybe two.

Besides being extremely malnourished and dehydrated, Blaine was treated for many superficial injures as well.

His left wrist was severely sprained.

Bruising and burns on his wrists and ankles from being shackled and bound.

Several broken ribs from when he'd apparently failed in trying to fight back.

Deep lacerations across his back from being whipped and flogged.

And a tiny fracture to the right side of his jaw.

Likely from being punched.

But the injuries that the doctors were most concerned with were not broken bones or internal damage.

The emotional and psychological scars would be the worst.

The doctors kept Blaine chemically sedated for six days following his admission to the hospital.

They said if he'd waken up from that kind of traumatic experience in that much pain…

Burt couldn't fathom what had kept the boy alive this long.

He had sat with Kurt in the conference room across from the ER during his son's police interview the morning after he had been brought to the hospital.

Burt had had to bite his tongue and hold back tears of anger, disgust and sorrow listening to his son tell of the horrific events surrounding that afternoon.

Kurt described the room that Blaine had been held in, which had made Burt's skin crawl, but when he'd told the police that Blaine had been kept in a cage… Burt had to immediately excuse himself from the room.

He'd barely made it to the men's room down the hall before he found himself dry heaving into the white porcelain toilet.

While waiting for the nurse to finish checking the stitches in Kurt's neck the following day, Burt had overheard two police officers standing in the hallway discussing the ongoing investigation.

He'd only heard bits and pieces of the conversation, but it was more than enough to make his skin crawl and his blood boil.

Shackles.

Chains.

Ropes.

Whips.

Gags and blindfolds.

Cameras.

A box filled with videotapes.

Multiple sexual predators.

Apparently Blaine had been pimped out to the highest bidder, sexually assaulted numerous times, and the videos sold online.

Burt had turned green upon hearing this new information and had to immediately find a different hallway to wait in for Kurt.

Carole had come to the hospital upon hearing the news. She'd sat with Burt, the pair consoling each other as they waited for the doctor's come out and give them permission to go in and see Kurt.

They'd rotated shifts, one of them constantly sitting at Blaine's site, anxiously awaiting his return to consciousness.

Kurt had left his side only a handful of times to shower and change his clothes.

His son had been devastated to learn that Blaine was going to be unconscious for nearly a week.

Burt could feel the pull that Blaine had on his son.

It was a deep bond like Burt had never seen before.

Kurt remained at Blaine's side the entire six days, aside from his regular check ups and bathroom breaks.

And the funeral.

Looking back, Burt had concluded that his plan to help Kurt deal with the traumatic events by taking him to the funeral had backfired.

Kurt had experienced a panic attack and passed out.

He'd only wanted to show Kurt that the man was dead.

He'd never have to see him again.

He couldn't hurt anyone anymore.

Blaine was safe now.

The Anderson's had yet to make an appearance.

Apparently they were off in France on holidays and weren't able to make it back for another few weeks.

Go figure.

One of the police detectives that had interviewed Kurt said that they'd finally got a returned phone call from Mr. Anderson four days after they'd found Blaine.

His first question: _Does the press know it was him?_

Burt growled internally as he recalled the look of horror that had crossed the other detective's face when he'd heard that.

He looked back at Blaine, who'd once again closed his eyes and had slipped into a restless slumber.

He grabbed the boy's hand once again and whispered softly.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

* * *

Nick had stopped by several days ago to visit Kurt and the then-comatose Blaine after he'd been released from hospital. He'd suffered a fairly significant concussion from the blow to the head.

His doctor had told him to go home and take it easy, that he'd have a pretty nasty headache for a few days.

The police estimated that he'd gotten off easily.

He could very well have been murdered.

The brunette boy had been very shy about popping his head into Blaine's hospital room door. Kurt was sleeping restlessly in the chair besides Blaine's bed and he'd never met Burt before.

But when the Elder Hummel realized who Nick was, he'd all but run to the lanky teenager and held him in a tight embrace, thanking him repeatedly for saving the lives of the two battered boys.

Burt and Nick had made small talk for a few minutes, and Burt promised to let Kurt know that Nick had stopped in when he woke up.

Nick smiled and nodded, and then had promised Burt that he wouldn't tell anyone, aside from the police of course, what had happened in the motel room that afternoon.

Nick's father, Michael Duval, was a prominent lawyer and had advised his son that the media was already going to have a field day with this story, so it was important to try and salvage what little dignity Blaine had left.

* * *

After several minutes of silence, Burt was alerted to another presence in the room.

_Kurt_.

"Hey buddy." Burt said, sitting up in his chair once again and looking at his son with concerned-filled eyes. "Did you find some coffee?"

Kurt nodded.

He padded silently towards the bed, headed towards the chair he'd all but inhabited over the past few days.

As he approached the bed, he suddenly realized that Blaine's eyes were open for the first time in six days.

The cup of stale hospital coffee hit the floor with a splash.

"Blaine!" He gasped.

It was the most emotion he'd showed since his father had brought him back from the monster's funeral.

Blaine's eyes remained fixed on the wall as Kurt moved around the puddle of coffee on the floor and into his line of vision.

"Blaine?" Kurt whispered, leaning into the boy. "Are you okay?"

_Of course he's not okay._

Kurt chided himself and tried a different approach.

"I'm here now Blaine. You don't have to be alone anymore."

He gently placed his hand onto Blaine's left shoulder, which remained securely supported in a blue fabric sling.

Kurt's chest ached when he felt Blaine wince and pull away from the contact.

Burt subtly coughed, gaining Kurt's attention, and quietly whispered.

"Just be careful how you touch him for a little while, okay? He's going to be a little jumpy."

Kurt nodded.

"You should probably ask his permission first."

Another sad nod.

Kurt pulled his hand away and turned back to where the lifeless boy remained lying on the bed, unmoving and unfazed.

"It's okay now Blaine." He cried softly. "You don't have to be scared anymore."

Blaine's eyes finally flickered slowly away from the point on the wall that he'd been staring at until they met Kurt's wide ocean-blue orbs.

The lack of life in Blaine's normally gorgeous hazel eyes sent a shudder through Kurt's soul.

He faked a smile and tried his best to look... positive.

"Hi" he whispered. "I'm glad you're back."

Blaine's stare remained on Kurt's eyes for several seconds before it slowly drifted down to the white bandage covering a large portion of his neck.

Blaine's face instantly fell, going from completely emotionless to a pure state of guilt.

Kurt recognized the look immediately and placed his fingers over the bandage.

"It's not your fault Blaine." He whispered. "You didn't cause this."

Blaine stared at the other teen's neck sadly for several seconds before casting this eyes downwards in shame.

"It's not so bad." Kurt said softly. "The doctors did a good job stitching it. But it will likely leave a pretty good scar."

Blaine's face fell further, looking even sadder than Kurt had deemed possible.

_Smart move Hummel._

_Why don't you just punch him in the face?_

_Fix this._

"It's too bad that I'm gay." He quipped. "You know they always say that chicks dig scars."

Not even a blink.

Finally after several more minutes of awkward silence, Blaine painfully adjusted his position, intentionally turning his head away from Kurt with a wince.

Devastated, Kurt looked to his father, who'd been sitting next to Blaine, watching the exchange.

_What did I do wrong?_

Burt couldn't believe the strength in Kurt's voice while he'd been talking to Blaine.

He knew he had to be terrified.

Scarred in more ways than one.

But he was holding himself together for this sad little boy lying on the bed in front of him.

He'd never been so proud.

But right now, his brave son looked shattered.

After days of his almost constant vigil at Blaine's bedside, Kurt had been anxiously awaiting the boy's awakening.

This was obviously not what he'd planned.

Time to intervene.

"Blaine," Burt spoke softly as he stood from his chair, ignoring the shooting pain in his hip from hours of inactivity.

"It's okay now buddy. You don't need to act brave anymore. You're allowed to be afraid and it's okay to cry."

Nothing.

Blaine remained motionless on the bed, curled up on his right side staring straight ahead, tightly clenching his fingers into the pillow under his head.

Burt knelt in front of him, directly in his line of vision.

"You're safe here buddy."

Moisture gathered at the corners of Blaine's eyes, but he turned his body painfully away once again, stubbornly averting his gaze.

He tucked his chin tightly into his chest and nestled his face deep into the blankets around him and forced his eyes closed, allowing a single tear to squeeze its way out.

Burt resigned his efforts and stood up from his place on the floor, causing his knees to pop several times in the process.

He looked sadly and Kurt and shook his head. "I think there's just too much going through his head right now."

Kurt looked at his father for a moment, as if processing this information, then turned suddenly and dashed out of the room.

Burt's heart thudded inside his chest.

_Where'd he go?_

_Surely he hasn't run away?_

_I hate letting either of my boys out of my sight, even for just a moment._

_Is he freaked out that Blaine won't talk to him?_

_This poor boy has been through so much. He likely doesn't want to talk to anyone._

_Ever again._

_I don't blame the kid._

Burt anxiously paced the hospital room, and was just about to call someone from the nursing staff to sit with Blaine so he could go searching when Kurt rushed back into the room, obviously out of breath.

"Kurt?" His father asked, looking at his son for an explanation of his sudden disappearance.

"Dad… can you… give us a minute?"

Burt looked at Kurt warily, looked back over to where Blaine still lay motionless in the hospital bed before nodding hesitantly.

"I need to go home and shower." He announced, loud enough that Blaine could undoubtedly hear him as well. "I will come back here in a little bit okay?"

Kurt nodded before giving his father a long, deep hug.

"Thank you." He whispered.

'Take care of him." Burt instructed, nodding towards the bed. "He needs you right now."

Kurt nodded.

"If you need anything, you push the call button. I'll tell the nurses to stay close."

Another nod.

Burt sighed, taking one last look at both of his boys before slowly turning and walking out of the room.

Kurt gingerly walked over to where Blaine lay quietly.

He wasn't sleeping.

Kurt knew that for a fact.

"Blaine." He whispered softly, pulling something out of his pocket. "I have something for you."

Blaine never stirred.

Kurt unwound the headphones from around his iPod and pulled them out. He quickly flipped through, selecting a playlist and finding the perfect song.

He pulled the white plastic chair over closer to Blaine's side.

"I like to listen to music to clear my head." He said gently. "I hope it works for you too."

He pressed play and gracefully began to paint intricate designs on the back of Blaine's forearm in time with the music.

This time Blaine never flinched away from the feather-light contact.

The delicate notes of an instrumental version of '_Teenage Dream'_ flowed through the silence and Kurt couldn't help but smile when he felt Blaine's hand squeeze gently inside his own.

He laid his head down next to Blaine on the soft white linens and closed his eyes for the first time in far too long.

Both boys drifted to sleep peacefully.

* * *

A harsh whimper tore Kurt from his restful slumber about an hour later.

He sat up in his chair suddenly, wincing at the crick in his neck, but his pain was quickly washed away when he saw the state of the boy in the bed next to him.

Blaine's face was tightly screwed up in a mess of agony and fear. His eyebrows were knit so tightly together, that Kurt could barely see any skin between them.

His head was thrashing fearfully side to side and pained, terrified whimpers slipped through his bruised lips.

Kurt quickly pushed the chair back, knelt on the floor by the bed and gently took Blaine's right hand inside his own. With his other hand, he reached up and pushed a sweat-soaked curl out of the boy's face.

"It's okay Blaine. I'm here." He cooed softly. "I'm here."

Blaine's eyes flashed open, startling Kurt, and the boy sat up in bed with a terrified gasp, which elicited even more pain.

He leaned to the side, desperate to catch his breath, falling heavily into Kurt's awaiting arms.

"Shhhh Blaine…" Kurt said soothingly, rubbing circles into Blaine's damp back.

"You're okay. It was just a nightmare."

Slowly, Blaine regained the ability to breathe, albeit through clenched teeth, but he remained sitting up in the bed, in obvious discomfort.

He was too afraid to move, knowing the amount of pain any change in his current position was going to undoubtedly cause.

Kurt remembered the nurses telling him that Blaine was going to be in an immense amount of pain for the next while, and that he would only be able to sleep on his right side.

"Blaine?" He whispered softly. "I'm going to help you lie back down, okay?"

The terrified boy remained upright, with his jaw still tightly clenched and his eyes pressed closed.

A wave of relief flooded Kurt when he saw Blaine nod subtly.

"Okay." He instructed. "Lean into me and I'm going to lay you down slowly."

Another tiny nod.

After a moment of extreme agony, including several loud gasps and cries, Kurt had successfully maneuvered Blaine into his preferred position of comfort.

Curled up tightly on his right side.

He had a small pillow wedged between himself and the side rail of the hospital bed that the nursing staff had been using to keep his slinged left shoulder propped up with. His right arm was bent underneath his head, so his face was nestled deep in the crook of his elbow.

His right hand remained at the back of his head, with his fingers tangled into a mess of black curls.

Blaine's teeth remained clenched and his eyes were still closed tightly as he struggled to control his breathing.

The move had obviously taken a lot out of him.

"Blaine, can I please hold your hand?" Kurt asked, he hated to see Blaine in so much agony.

A weak nod from the other teen was all he needed.

He pushed his chair right up beside him and pulled his trembling hand away from the back of his head.

The moment Blaine felt Kurt's fingers intertwine with his own, he desperately squeezed his hand.

Kurt was surprised by the sudden contact, but encouraged Blaine by giving a reciprocated squeeze.

'That's it Blaine, squeeze my hand. As hard as you need to."

The grip tightened.

Kurt placed his other hand on top of Blaine's forehead and pushed away several more sweat-drenched curls.

"You're doing so good." He whispered. "Keep breathing for me, alright? In and out. In and out."

Blaine followed Kurt's lead and began to focus on his respirations.

After several minutes of coaching, Kurt felt the grip on his hand loosen slightly.

He could see now that tears were streaming steadily down Blaine's cheeks so he moved his second hand to the boy's face and began gently wiping each tear away with his thumb.

"It's going to be okay now, Blaine." He whispered, leaning in and lightly pressing his lips to the boy's forehead. "It's going to be okay."

Blaine finally allowed his eyes to slip open at the gentle contact and looked deeply into Kurt's loving blue eyes.

They stared at each other for several moments before Blaine's lower lip trembled slightly.

"I-I'm sorry" It was the most painful sound Kurt had ever heard.

"Oh, Blaine." He cried. He was shocked that the boy had spoken but not entirely surprised by his choice of words. "It's not your fault, honey."

Kurt moved closer and gently lifted Blaine's head in his arms and held his face into his chest.

Blaine broke.

The tears flooded down his face and he was left in a state of constant, heavy sobs.

Kurt pressed himself as close to the boy as he dared without risking the chance of inflicting further pain.

He gently ran his fingers though Blaine's dark curls, and pressed his lips to the top of his head.

"You're okay now, sweetheart. You're okay."

The cries and sobs coming from Blaine were wracking his entire body, each eliciting another painful wince from the hysterical boy.

"Blaine." Kurt cried. "You have to try and slow your breathing for me again."

Nothing seemed to be consoling him.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked. "Can I please hold you?"

It was another minute before Blaine had composed himself enough to reply.

He looked up at Kurt from underneath his long, soggy eyelashes and nodded.

Kurt gently laid Blaine's head back down on the pillow and made his way to the other side of the bed. He didn't want to risk further injuring Blaine's shoulder, or disrupting any of the numerous IV lines or the urinary catheter tubing by crawling over top of him.

When Blaine felt the sensation of someone approaching him from behind, his mind instantly re-entered panic mode and his whole body tensed up.

Kurt noticed the sudden change and immediately realized what he'd done.

"Blaine, honey." He said, rushing back around the bed until he stood in front of Blaine's panic-stricken face. "It's just me. It's Kurt."

Blaine nodded between sobs before slowly opening his eyes.

"N-not like that." He stuttered. "I h-have t-to see that it's y-you."

Kurt's heart felt weak as he realized the impact behind Blaine's words.

"Of course Blaine." He said quietly. "Can I sneak in on this side?"

Blaine hesitated initially, but then pulled the pillow that was wedged between him and the rail and threw it on the ground weakly, leaving a perfect Kurt-sized empty space in it's wake.

He looked up at the beautiful boy standing over him and nodded.

Kurt's heart flooded with warmth at Blaine's gesture of trust and he slowly lowered the side rail and slipped into the bed beside him, careful to not bump him unnecessarily.

At the new level of closeness, Blaine's heart began to race once again and he closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down.

As soon as Kurt was nestled in tightly beside him, he reached an arm around Blaine's torso and pulled himself closer to the trembling teenager.

"Shhh… it's okay." Kurt whispered. "It's okay."

Kurt pressed his hand gently onto the top of Blaine's left shoulder, still firmly secured into his chest and rubbed gentle circles into his tense muscles.

"I've got you, Blaine." Kurt cooed. "I'm never gonna let go."

He turned his body carefully so he was lying face to face with Blaine, only mere centimeters separating their noses and gently leaned in, until his forehead came into contact with Blaine's.

Within seconds of this new touch, Blaine's breathing slowed and his sobs became less frequent.

Kurt leaned in even further until their noses touched, and gently nuzzled Blaine's with his own.

He closed his eyes.

This time Kurt didn't see the monster.

He didn't feel or even taste the blood.

He didn't hear the screams.

Or the cries.

He felt Blaine.

Pure and beautiful Blaine.

"I'm never gonna let go."

* * *

It was about an hour or so later when a young blonde nurse from Blaine's recovery ward stepped inside the room and saw the scene before her.

Blaine was curled up in the arms of the same boy that hadn't left his side since they'd arrived by ambulance so many days ago.

They were both sound asleep.

She tilted her head in wonder, not able to fathom how the damaged boy who'd been through so much devastation, could ever allow anyone close enough to touch him.

Let alone climb into his bed and hold him.

_They must have such a strong bond._

_Soulmates._

She glanced up and saw Mr. Hummel resting peacefully in the white plastic chair next to the bed.

The nurse wasn't certain, but she could almost swear that there was a gentle smile playing at his lips as he snored quietly.

She quietly tiptoed through the room and picked up the discarded pillow off the floor by the bed.

She gently lifted the man's head forward and was just about to place the pillow behind his neck when he opened his eyes in semi-shock. The nurse silently cursed herself before stepping back from the man and offering him the pillow, which he accepted gratefully.

She smiled and took another peek back at the sleeping boys before leaning into Burt and whispering.

"They're adorable. Are they… _together_?"

Burt also risked a peek behind the nurse and took in the scene with a grin.

He redirected his smile to the young nurse and answered with a mischievous wink.

"Not yet."

* * *

I know... I know... ABOUT TIME, right? )


	25. Welcome To My World

**Ch. 24 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – I love your extra long review! I always enjoy reading what you have to say. It means so much to me that you are willing to take that much time and effort to comment about different things I've written about in each chapter! I am sorry about including the part about the Monster's funeral in there… I knew it would mess with your head… but I wanted to display how mixed up Kurt was about it. He was happy he was dead, but at the same time… being at the funeral was just bringing everything back. Mostly Kurt just wanted to get out of there and back to the hospital to be with Blaine. I figured you would really appreciate the 'soulmate' references. Every touch between them represents an emotional connection. It's far more than just physical.

**WritingGeek27116** – Well you obviously didn't mind the last chapter… ;) Thank you (once again) for your incredible enthusiasm! I LOVE how "into" my story you are. It's incredibly inspiring! As far as a Klaine marriage goes… I did say Klaine is always endgame, didn't I? ;)

**LaurenEP18** – Thanks for your review! Here's the next update! ;)

**Byubyu** – uh oh… hopefully I don't make your heart stop again… that usually doesn't end well… Sorry I freaked you out! Thank you so much for taking the time to set up an account and leave me a comment! I appreciate you!

**Jessie908** – Sorry I scared you! I'm glad that you took a chance and kept reading! I promise there is lots more fluff to come!

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – (I still love your name btw) Awww! Thanks for your awesome review! Sorry I freaked you out temporarily. Glad you enjoyed my chapter! Thanks for your continued support!

**Remo** – Yaaaaaay indeed! You know I'd never kill off my lil sweet Blaine!

**Justanotherfangurl** – Awwww! I'm glad that I was able to make your day better! Hope you enjoy this one as well!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Yes. Evil. I am indeed. I'm sorry I missed with your head. Just making sure you didn't fall asleep! ;) You should know that I'd NEVER kill Blaine. I love the lil doofas way too much! Puppies and Rainbows hey? Hmmm… we'll see…

**Anderpson** – Yes… Blaine is certainly headed in the right direction now. He is back where he belongs – in Kurt's safe and loving arms. Thank you so much for your review!

**1GLEEK4 – **Yes! Plenty more to come! Stay tuned! Things are starting to look up! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my story!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Awwww please don't be sad! Tell your mom I'm sorry for making you cry! There is plenty to come in this story. I believe there are 35 chapters in total.

**Msdarque** – The healing begins. Blaine is on his way to a better life. (About time). Thanks so much for your continued support!

**Sara (guest)** – I appreciate your kind words! You're right, I do tend to "get into Kurt's head" a little bit. I try and put myself into his position. How would I feel? What would I say? Even teeny details like facial expressions and hand gestures make all the difference. I want you guys to be able to read what I see in my head. Sometimes it's hard to get that all down on paper!

**Mzjem** – It has been difficult to write the past few chapters, but with each update I do, the amazing flood of reviews, comments and support from people like you have made it so much easier! The response has been overwhelming and gives me COURAGE to continue!

**GleekCow13** – Thanks so much for your review! It means a lot to me that you take the time to leave a comment! I agree… it's amazing how receptive Blaine is to Kurt's touch. They are Soulmates. A single touch is so significant and wholesome.

**Purpleview** – Awww! Thank you! You're a sweetheart!

**Moioui** – Ha ha… I'm glad you didn't miss your bus stop! I'd hate to be responsible for you getting lost in the city! Thank you for not giving up on my story! I'd never kill off Blaine! I love him way too much! Thanks for sticking with me!

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you all SO MUCH for the reviews from the last chapter! That was the most I've ever received for a single update! It means so much to me!**

**XOXO**

**-RH**

* * *

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

* * *

Chapter 25

The next few days were much the same; Blaine remained in his hospital bed, resting comfortably and recovering with Kurt close by his side.

The two boys quickly became VIP-like members of the acute care unit at the hospital.

Doctors and nurses were almost constantly popping their heads into the doorway and checking on them, asking if there was anything they needed and ensuring that Blaine's pain levels were manageable.

The hospital administration staff had even bent the rules slightly and allowed Kurt to remain with Blaine past visiting hours, bringing a small cot into the room for him to sleep on at night.

He didn't use it.

After being away from Blaine for so long, Kurt couldn't pry himself away from the weakened boy in the bed next to him. He spent much of his time sitting propped up by pillows next to Blaine on the bed, holding his hand or twisting his fingers through the boy's tangled black curls.

Even though the nursing staff had fully washed Blaine and shaved his face during the days when Blaine remained unconscious, a new layer of coarse dark hair had grown onto his face, making him appear older and much more unkempt than Kurt had ever seen him.

He was pleased to see a middle-aged RN with curly red hair bring in a mint green plastic basin with shaving supplies one morning while they laid on Blaine's bed watching Saturday morning cartoons on the tiny TV screen fixed on the wall.

While Kurt was excited at the idea of seeing Blaine clean-shaven once again, Blaine immediately tensed up when his brain put the pieces of the puzzle together. He became visibly upset and starting trembling beside Kurt at the prospect of allowing someone to touch his face.

Kurt rested his hands gently on Blaine's shoulders, maintaining constant eye contact until his trembling subsided before slowly and quietly speaking with him until Blaine had silently agreed with a nod that he would allow Kurt to help him.

Since Blaine was finally able to sit up on the fluffy bed for short increments of time without being in significant discomfort, Kurt reached over and pressed the button to raise the head of the bed up to make the process slightly easier.

The bed creaked up slowly and Kurt watched Blaine's face carefully, monitoring for any sign of discomfort. At the first wince, Kurt immediately stopped and lowered the bed back down a few inches, keeping most of the pressure off Blaine's still-tender backside.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, running a gentle hand over Blaine's upper right arm.

Blaine's eyes remained closed and he was breathing heavily through his nose, as he and Kurt had been practicing, but he nodded slowly.

The nurse left the basin of shaving supplies on the bed, and gave Kurt a stern '_keep an eye on him'_ look, before she nodded and left the room, leaving the boys alone.

Blaine initially took the razor in his own hand, but when he looked into the small round mirror that Kurt was holding up for him, his face scrunched up in repulsion and he immediately turned his head off to the side and away from Kurt.

Kurt immediately recognized Blaine's inability to look at himself in the mirror.

He was completely disgusted by his own reflection.

With a heavy pang in his chest, Kurt set the mirror facedown on the bed next to Blaine, stroked his arm and spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

"You've probably done this so many times that you could do it in your sleep. We don't even need that silly little mirror."

The pained expression remained heavy on Blaine's face as he slowly turned his eyes back towards Kurt and nodded sadly.

Blaine was shaking so violently when he brought the shaver back up to his face that Kurt cautiously stepped in once again. He carefully placed his hand on top of Blaine's and gently pulled the plastic razor from his trembling fingers.

He dropped the razor back into the basin and squirted some shaving gel onto his fingers.

While maintaining his constant eye contact with Blaine, he pressed his fingers gently against the growth of prickly dark hair on the boy's jawline, leaving behind a trail of thick white foam.

Blaine eventually closed his eyes and leaned into Kurt's tender touch, the strong smell of the shaving cream satisfying his olfactory senses and creating an essence of comfort and familiarity.

Kurt continued to gently massage Blaine's face with only the lightest touch of his fingertips until the shorter teen was left with a thick coat of white foam on his face.

Blaine suddenly flinched away from Kurt's touch and he quickly clenched his eyes closed tighter as Kurt's fingers had found their way onto his neck while he was gently spreading the foam.

Blaine's right hand shot up and he instinctively swatted Kurt's fingers away.

"Shhh Blaine, it's just me. Open your eyes." Kurt whispered softly, reaching back and clasping his fingers gently around Blaine's. "It's just me."

Blaine's eyes remained closed and his breathing grew deep, as though he was silently trying to calm himself.

'That's it, sweetie." Kurt encouraged. "Just relax."

Several seconds later, Kurt felt the teenager relax next to him and Blaine slowly reopened his eyes.

"Hi." Kurt whispered with a half smile. "You okay?"

Blaine took another deep breath, centering himself, before nodding hesitantly.

Kurt pressed his lips gently to the top of Blaine's forehead before slowly continuing to apply the thick foam to Blaine's neck; keeping constant eye contact and using the most feather-light touch he could manage.

Once the foam was equally distributed, Kurt reached back over and pulled the small blue plastic razor out of the basin.

He looked at Blaine, silently asking for permission to continue, but was met by hesitant eyes.

"Blaine?" He asked softly. "May I help you shave?"

Blaine paused momentarily, looking deep into Kurt's eyes before he offered the slightest of nods.

Kurt smiled.

"I promise to do a good job. It may not look like it, but I do have to shave every now and again, you know."

Blaine remained silent.

"It takes practice and mad skills to look this stunning." Kurt added with a wink.

He couldn't be sure, but Kurt thought he might have seen a tiny glimmer of life flash from behind Blaine's eyes for the first time since the pair had been sitting in the Hummel's living room eating peanut butter toast, so many weeks before.

Kurt's heart soared.

_Progress_.

He gently laid Blaine's head back against the pillow and lifted his chin up and towards his own, effectively tightening Blaine's skin, while allowing them to maintain the all-important eye contact.

Kurt lifted the razor to Blaine's eye level slowly, and watched as the teen swallowed a lump of fear, causing his now-prominent Adam's apple to bob noticeably.

"Try and keep still okay?" Kurt instructed tenderly.

Blaine nodded.

_I trust you._

Kurt used the fingers on his opposite hand to pull the skin on Blaine's face taut before he carefully dragged the blade of the razor across his jawline.

After the first swipe was complete, he returned his gaze back to Blaine, who'd pressed his eyes closed once again.

"Are you still okay with this?"

Blaine nodded deliberately without opening his eyes, so Kurt carried on with the intricately intimate process using such gentle and caring touches that Blaine eventually relaxed enough to nearly enjoy the experience.

When he was finished, Kurt fetched a white hand towel from the bathroom and pressed it to Blaine's freshly shaven face, dabbing and removing the few remaining specks of white shaving cream.

"There." Kurt announced proudly. "You look like a new man!"

Blaine glanced up at Kurt with what was undoubtedly a look of deep appreciation.

"I bet that feels much better, doesn't it?"

Blaine nodded but still no words fell from his lips.

Blaine's newly softened features, combined with his small stature and timid appearance made him look young.

Really young.

He actually looked like Blaine again.

* * *

Blaine still hadn't spoken to anyone aside from the few words he'd said to Kurt the afternoon when he'd first awoken.

The ongoing silence worried Kurt.

The still empty and hollow look behind Blaine's eyes worried Kurt.

But it was the gut wrenching whimpers that escaped Blaine's lips while he laid in a restless slumber that worried Kurt the most.

He had convinced his father to let him to stay with Blaine at the hospital, under the strict agreement that he would have his homework delivered to him so he could work on it while Blaine was resting.

Kurt was sitting up propped up reading his French book in Blaine's bed with the smaller boy cuddled into his side when Burt tiptoed into the room later that afternoon.

Kurt looked up when he heard his father enter the room and smiled.

"How is he?" Burt whispered.

Kurt shrugged.

'_About the same.' _ He mouthed silently.

Burt nodded and took his place in the white plastic chair next to the bed. He hadn't been spending as much time at the hospital as he had in the beginning of Blaine's stay, but he still stopped in before work each morning and then after he'd finished up at the shop each afternoon.

Even though Blaine wouldn't talk, Burt knew that it meant a lot to the boy each time he or Carole would stop in and see him.

There hadn't been much progress in getting him to speak either. The hospital had sent in a special sexual-assault therapist to talk to him, but Blaine completely shut down and refused to even look at anyone.

Including Kurt.

Burt had quickly sent the woman away from the room that day. They didn't need Blaine regressing any further.

Burt wasn't blind. He could clearly see that Kurt was literally the only person that seemed to be able to get through to the deeply damaged boy.

He looked over to his son, sitting up on the bed holding his textbook up on his knees and his pen held gracefully in the fingers of his right hand.

He was so proud of him.

Kurt had obviously been through a lot as well, but he was holding himself up so high, being so strong for Blaine.

Just like his mother.

Even in the last few days before her passing, Elizabeth had been constantly fussing about Kurt and her beloved husband, making sure everything was in order so they wouldn't have to deal with anything after she was gone.

_Heaven-sent._

Burt sighed as he remembered the angelic face of his late wife.

The same angelic face that now stared lovingly at the boy lying next to him on the hospital bed.

Kurt had returned his gaze to the textbook in front of him when suddenly Blaine started trembling slightly and a whimper escaped his lips.

Burt was just about to stand up and walk over to the bed to comfort the boy when something happened that made the hairs on the back his arms stand on end and sent a shiver streaking directly up his spine.

Without even removing his gaze from his textbook, Kurt wordlessly repositioned his hand over to where he subconsciously knew Blaine's hand lay on the bed next to him and gently laid his own fingers on top of the wrist of the trembling boy.

The effect was immediate.

Blaine's breathing seemed to hitch momentarily, but then return to the deep rhythmic pattern of a restful sleep. His body became relaxed once again, and the whimpers stopped immediately.

Burt's eyes widened as he took in the scene before him.

He'd noticed that Kurt had been maintaining the almost constant reassuring touches on Blaine's skin, but he'd never seen relief flood into the other boy so quickly.

It was as though that single point of contact had… _healed _him.

Burt's heart fluttered as he considered how important these two boys obviously were to each other.

Every seemingly insignificant touch from Kurt seemed almost therapeutic to the damaged boy.

_How did they ever manage in this world for so long without each other?_

* * *

Blaine began to stir about forty minutes later, and woke up to find Burt Hummel sitting next to him in the familiar white plastic chair. Blaine glanced over to where Kurt had been perched next to him, only to realize that he was nowhere to be seen.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position on the bed, with several pillows supporting his back and looked over at Burt questioningly.

"He just went to stretch his legs kiddo." Burt answered, quietly standing up from his position in the chair, ignoring the popping sounds that emanated from his knees. "He'll be right back."

Burt walked the few steps over to Blaine's bedside and placed his hands on the metal rail.

"How are you feeling today?"

Burt wasn't expecting Blaine to answer him, so he wasn't exactly surprised when the boy just shrugged.

"Are you in any pain right now?"

Blaine shook his head.

Burt sighed, unknowing what to say next. He was satisfied that Blaine had at least acknowledged his presence today.

_Progress_.

"Can I get you anything? Are you thirsty?"

Blaine turned his head towards the maroon plastic mug of water on his bedside table.

Burt could tell the boy wanted it, and for a second, he really considered making Blaine ask him for it.

Anything to get him talking.

But he couldn't. He didn't want to make Blaine uncomfortable.

_At this point, I'll give this kid anything he wants._

Burt reached over, grabbed the mug and presented it to Blaine with a smile.

"Need any help?"

Blaine looked at the older man and shook his head. He accepted the mug with his right hand and flashed his eyes up to Burt's for a brief moment before taking a sip from the white plastic straw that stuck out from the lid of the mug.

_Thank you._

About that time Kurt walked back into the room with a bouquet of brightly colored red and yellow roses. When he saw that Blaine was awake and sitting up, his face immediately brightened and he flashed a wide, toothless grin.

"Well good morning sleepyhead!" He chimed. "Good to see you awake again."

Blaine turned towards Kurt's voice and his eyes immediately fell to the flowers.

When the teen's gaze returned to meet his own, Kurt was certain that he'd seen a glimpse of life in them this time.

_Yes, we're definitely making progress._

"These are for you!" Kurt smiled, walking up and squeezing between Burt and the bed.

He exchanged the mug of water in Blaine's hand for the flowers and his stomach did backflips when he saw the other teen bring the bouquet up to his nose and inhale the floral scent.

Blaine looked back up at Kurt and tilted his head slightly to the side. He furrowed his brows slightly, as though in deep concentration before he parted his lips.

"T-thank you."

Both Kurt and his father's eyes widened at the unexpected whisper. He'd said it so quietly that had they not been looking directly at Blaine when he'd spoken they'd likely not have heard him speak at all.

"Of course" Kurt quickly replied, trying not to appear too over-excited at Blaine's progress. "Can I set them on your table for you?"

Blaine nodded.

Kurt would be lying if he said that his heart didn't break slightly at the silence. He'd hoped for another verbal answer.

_One step at a time._

As he was putting the flowers into a glass vase on Blaine's table, Burt crept back up to the hospital bed and rested his arms on the railing once again.

"Blaine, I… uh… got you something too."

The look on Blaine's face clearly read _'you didn't have to' _but the tiny shimmer of anticipation that appeared in the boy's eyes was enough to make Burt's heart fill with warmth and pride.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shiny black iPhone.

Blaine's eyes widened in disbelief as Burt handed him the expensive device.

_I don't deserve this._

"I don't really know how the damn thing works. There's only one button." Burt said gruffly.

Blaine pushed he phone back towards Burt and shook his head.

_I can't accept this._

"Hey buddy," Burt chuckled softly, turning Blaine's hand away kindly. "It's okay. I got it for you. Kurt told me a while ago that he didn't think you had one."

Blaine was shocked, he opened up his mouth to speak, and his face fell when no words would come out.

"Please Blaine, just take it." Burt reassured. "It's all prepaid. Carole put in everyone's numbers. The house number, the garage, and our cell numbers too. Kurt's is speed dial number one, okay?"

Blaine hesitantly pulled the phone back towards his chest and looked at himself in the reflection of the shiny black screen.

He didn't see the terrified teenager with a thick growth of facial hair and messy curls.

He didn't see the sad boy with a broken soul.

He saw… Blaine.

A boy that needed help.

And that help was standing right next to him in the form of Burt Hummel.

He took a deep breath and looked back to where Burt remained standing patiently.

Blaine ran his tongue hesitantly over his bottom lip as he swallowed the lump in his throat and opened his mouth to speak.

His lips faltered for several seconds as he concentrated with all his might, and when the words finally came, they stumbled out clumsily, but each syllable warmed Burt's heart to the core nevertheless.

"T-thank you s-sir."

Burt's face broke into a million watt smile and he looked over at Kurt with wide eyes as if to say _'He talked to me! He talked to me!'_

Kurt grinned at the obvious excitement in his father's eyes.

"Oh Blaine!" Burt said happily, "You don't have to call me sir. That makes me sound old!"

Blaine didn't reply, he just looked down at the new prized possession in his hand and sighed.

_They care._

_I'm safe now. _

"I had Kurt program it and stuff. And he filled it up with lots of music and movies." Burt said proudly. "Though, I don't know who the _hell_ would want to watch a movie on that teeny little thing."

Blaine averted his gaze over to Kurt who stood off to his right with a pride-filled grin and wordlessly nodded his appreciation.

Kurt winked back at him.

The trio sat comfortably for the next half hour, with Burt occupying the white plastic chair as he watched the two boys sit up on the bed playing with Blaine's new phone.

Kurt showed him all of the new playlists he'd created for him and Burt couldn't help but allow a single tear of happiness to fall down his cheek when he saw a hint of life return in Blaine's eyes for the first time in weeks as the boy listened enthusiastically to Kurt rambling on about showtunes.

_We're gonna get through this._

* * *

"Kurt, why don't you go home for a little bit and get showered? I'm sure you are due for some new clothes, and Finn has your homework from this week."

Both Kurt and Blaine turned their heads towards Burt simultaneously at his sudden suggestion.

"But…" Kurt started, but he was interrupted as Burt spoke up once again.

"I have a couple of things that I'd like to talk to Blaine about, so I'll stay with him until you get back, okay?"

Kurt hesitated for a moment but the look on his father's face told him that he wasn't asking.

Kurt glanced back over at Blaine with an expression that read, _'Are you okay with this?'_

Blaine acknowledged the look and nodded slowly, although he was apprehensive about why Burt would need to talk to him.

Kurt ran the backs of his fingers down the still-smooth skin on Blaine's face and gave him a smile before he shuffled his way off the end of the bed and walked over to gather his school books in his messenger bag.

"I'll be back in no time." He whispered to Blaine, leaving a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"You can text me if you need me for anything, okay?"

Blaine nodded slowly, still reveling in the warmth that Kurt's lips had left against his skin.

Kurt flashed his father a look that said either _'keep an eye on him'_ or _'don't make me regret this' _before he slipped out the door, leaving Blaine and Burt in a somewhat awkward silence.

Burt stood up from his chair and pulled it closer to Blaine's bed. The boy stayed in a half-sitting, half-leaning position on his right side. Blaine's left shoulder remained in the blue fabric sling, but he held his new phone firmly in fingers of his left hand.

"Do you want me to turn the TV back on?" Burt offered, effectively breaking the ice.

Blaine shrugged, and then shook his head.

_Let's just get this over with._

"Buddy, there are a few things I need to talk with you about, okay?" Burt said, in a more serious tone.

Blaine gulped and nodded reluctantly.

"Okay," Burt said with a deep breath.

He wasn't looking forward to this any more than Blaine was.

"I know you've been through… _a lot_ Blaine. I can't even imagine the things that are going through your head right now. Part of me thinks that you did what you did to protect my Kurt, and that means more to me than anything else. But I want _you_ to know that you're safe now too. You don't have to protect anyone anymore because no one can hurt you now Blaine."

Silence.

"You get that, right buddy?" Burt asked. "You know I'm watching out for you now, don't you? You're not alone anymore."

Blaine furrowed his eyebrows and turned away from Burt. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before nodding.

"Good." Burt said with a relieved sigh. He sat back down in his chair and looked at Blaine.

"Blaine, I asked Kurt not to tell you this yet, but I think it's important that you know what happened…" Burt started hesitantly. "The…_man_… that did this to you…"

The sound that escaped Blaine's lips sent chills up Burt's spine.

_This is not going to be an easy conversation. _

"Blaine… He's… gone." Burt leaned in and placed his hand on Blaine's trembling shoulder. "He's dead, Blaine."

Blaine's eyes fell closed and he began taking quick breaths in and out of his nose. He lowered his chin to his chest and clenched his fingers together tightly.

"Do you remember what happened the night that Kurt found you?"

More quick breaths followed by a quick shake of Blaine's head.

"That's okay, buddy. You were pretty sick." Burt reassured. He was almost thankful that Blaine hadn't remembered everything from that night. He had a feeling that the boy would be guilt-ridden if he'd known Kurt had come close to…

_No. I can't think about that now._

_This is about Blaine._

"The police came, Blaine. They shot him before he could hurt you or Kurt anymore, alright?"

No response.

"He's gone now. Forever."

Blaine opened his eyes, which had tears gathering at the corners, but none of them had managed to sneak down his cheeks yet. He looked at Burt and nodded slowly.

"H-he won't… _hurt_ me anymore?"

Burt's heart shattered at the youth and vulnerability that highlighted Blaine's feeble voice.

"No, buddy. He can't hurt _anyone_ anymore. He's gone."

Blaine sucked in a deep, ragged breath and once again allowed his eyes to flutter closed.

His face scrunched up in anguish, before he gulped audibly and nodded.

"Would you like to talk about it Blaine? The hospital has a therapist that would like to come and speak with you, if that's okay? She understands what happened to you and has talked with kids that have been through similar…. _things_."

Blaine shook his head adamantly.

"Alright." Burt agreed, clapping the boy on the shoulder gently. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to, okay?"

Blaine nodded silently.

"Just know that you can talk to me, or Carole… or even Kurt anytime you need to, okay? About anything." Burt assured. "And if you don't feel like talking out loud, then you can use that silly phone and text us okay? Sometimes it's easier to put things into words rather than speak them out loud."

Blaine looked at the man beside him in wonder.

_It was like Burt just… got it._

Burt forced a smile to his face, though it was mixed with pity and sorrow for the poor boy in front of him.

He couldn't believe how strong this kid was. After all he'd been through…

Burt sighed as he considered his next item of discussion.

This one was going to be almost as hard.

"So… about your parents…"

Blaine's eyes widened and he whipped his head around to face Burt once again.

"They… ummm… haven't exactly been _around_ much, have they?"

Burt asked the question, but he already knew the answer. Now he just had to break it to the boy that his _parents_ hadn't showed up at the hospital at all.

Not even once.

Blaine's face fell and his shoulders hunched significantly.

He looked… _depressed_ all of a sudden.

Burt didn't have the heart to go into detail about it, but as it turned out, the Andersons had apparently told the hospital staff that they wanted nothing to do with Blaine.

They'd basically disowned him.

They refused to pay any of his medical bills and according to the administrative staff; his Medicare account had been mysteriously cut off earlier in the week.

The bills were piling up.

Burt did his best to pay them down, but Blaine's hospital stay was costing him a small fortune. Carole had started taking extra shifts at the hospital, and Burt was almost always at the tire shop when he wasn't visiting Blaine or home sleeping for a few hours each night.

It was tough.

And it certainly wasn't going to be easy.

But after everything Blaine had been through, Burt wasn't taking any chances of him getting himself into trouble again.

Blaine lowered his eyes back down and stared at his left wrist, which was still clutching his new cell phone, snuggled tightly away in his sling. He mindlessly spun the plastic hospital bracelet that encircled his wrist.

**Anderson, Blaine Devon. **

Blaine almost scoffed at the thought. His last name was a representation of his family.

_What family?_

"I just wanted to let you know…" Burt started, "I've talked to the hospital people and even though I'm not legally allowed to sign anything for you, they are going to release you into my care. Does that make sense?"

Blaine looked up at Burt hesitantly. His eyebrows were furrowed, indicating to Burt that the teenager didn't completely understand what he was telling him.

"It means Blaine, that when you get out of here… I want you to come and stay with us."

Burt didn't miss the tiny gasp that escaped Blaine's lips.

"Only if you want to, of course, but they said it's going to be a while before you're… completely _healed_, and I'd like you to stay with us for that duration."

Blaine's eyes widened in disbelief.

_After all I've done…_

_They want me back?_

"I haven't told Kurt yet." Burt smiled. "I thought I'd leave that up to you. I know he'll be pretty happy."

Blaine opened his mouth to speak, but was once again met by only silence.

"You mean a lot to him, Blaine." Burt explained. "I've never seen him care for anyone the way he cares about you."

This time a single tear did find its way down Blaine's cheek.

_Kurt._

"Another thing that I wanted to ask you about Blaine…" Burt started.

Blaine redirected his attention to the man sitting next to him.

"We haven't told any of your friends from school what happened." Burt explained. "As far as they know, you're just away sick."

Blaine didn't answer.

_What friends?_

"Carole and I told Finn that he is forbidden to say anything to the rest of the football guys, until you say otherwise, okay?"

_Finn._

Blaine's eyes widened once again at the new information that he'd just been given.

_Finn knew what happened?_

"Finn doesn't know… everything." Burt corrected unknowingly. "Just that you were… _hurt_ and ended up in here."

After how Finn had reacted when Blaine was 'outed', he didn't expect to ever talk to the lanky teenager again.

_So much for being friends._

"Blaine?" Burt asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Are you okay buddy?"

Blaine turned his head towards the voice and nodded numbly.

Burt sighed. He had one last thing that he needed to talk with Blaine about.

This one was the worst.

He'd convinced himself not to even bother the traumatized teenager with the information yet, but Blaine's doctor had suggested that he know, so he could better prepare himself.

"Blaine?" Burt had to clear his throat after the first word came out far too high-pitched.

The look on the boy's face indicated that he could sense something bad was coming.

He paled visibly when he saw how much difficulty Burt was having articulating his words.

_This isn't going to be good._

"Blaine, there's something else."

The tone of Burt's voice sent chills up Blaine's spine.

He tried his best to be brave and look directly at the elder Hummel, but he found himself trembling violently.

"After everything that… _happened_, the doctors had to do some blood tests." Burt spoke slowly and clearly, choosing his words carefully.

Blaine tensed up immediately.

"They found some abnormalities Blaine."

The words hit Blaine full force, sending him into an instant state of panic.

His breathing became dramatically more forced and his fingers clenched tightly around the sheets of his hospital bed.

Blaine broke eye contact with Burt almost immediately.

"Blaine?" Burt sounded incredibly worried. "You still with me, buddy?"

Blaine squeezed the phone in his fingers.

_I need Kurt._

Burt immediately realized that the boy was in trouble. His breathing rate had picked up significantly and his chest had started to heave.

_Shit. I shouldn't have tried to tell him so many things at once._

_I should have…_

Burt's thoughts were interrupted when a delicate sounding chime filled the air. He looked around for the source of the sound but came up empty.

Then he realized that the 'ding' had come from Blaine's phone.

It took Blaine a moment to realize where the sound had come from as well. He turned the phone over in his trembling hand and looked at the screen.

It was a text message.

From Kurt.

A single word.

But a word with so much emotion, strength, love and inspiration attached to it.

**Courage**.

Blaine's breath caught when he read the message.

It was as though Kurt had… _felt_ his fear and desperation.

Like he knew Blaine had needed him at that very moment.

Blaine took several consecutive deep breaths and imagined Kurt's delicate fingers lightly touching his own, or his softer-than-silk lips gracing the top of his forehead.

_It's okay. _

_I can do this._

_I'm okay. _

Burt watched in amazement at Blaine's sudden change in disposition. His shoulders relaxed visibly and his breathing returned to a normal, effective rhythm.

Blaine's eyes fluttered closed as he focused on maintaining the steady pattern of inhalations and exhalations until he felt confident enough to open his eyes and look up at Burt.

Burt Hummel was speechless.

There was no doubt in his mind that it had been Kurt who'd sent Blaine the message.

Whatever he'd said, his son had been completely able to relax the boy and prevent him from having a panic attack with only mere words.

It took Burt a couple of seconds to shake himself from his astounded stupor and realize that Blaine was still looking at him.

"A-are you alright Blaine?"

Blaine nodded.

Burt was still in a state of astonishment.

The terrified, panic-riddled boy that had been sitting next to him moments ago was gone.

Replaced by a semi-confident looking Blaine Anderson.

_What the hell is up with these two?_

Burt shook himself again, gathering the strength to carry on with his conversation.

"The doctors said it may be nothing, they are going to re-do the tests, but they wanted me to tell you that there is a possibility that you were _infected_ with something."

Blaine tried diligently to maintain his steady composure, but Burt could easily identify the shame and fear that filled his honey-brown eyes.

The boy nodded slowly.

"Let's not think about that now, okay?" Burt said, squeezing his shoulder. "Not until we know for sure."

Blaine nodded numbly.

"And… _if_ something comes up later, we'll deal with it then." Burt added. "Together."

Another nod, albeit a weak and unconvincing one.

Blaine reached out his hand, attempting to press the button to lower the head of the hospital bed. Burt recognized his efforts and intervened.

"Can I help?"

Blaine hung his head in defeat and nodded once again.

As the bed began to descend, Burt could see Blaine's level of pain increase.

As hard as the boy tried to maintain a neutral disposition, a pained gasp followed by a sharp intake of breath indicated that he was truly hurting.

"Can I help you roll onto your side again, Blaine?"

The boy looked over at Burt with tears filling his eyes and nodded helplessly.

Burt couldn't say for sure if the tears were caused by pain, or the events of the past forty minutes, but it was obvious that Blaine was losing the battle of acting strong.

He placed a gentle arm around Blaine's torso and assisted the boy into his preferred position on the bed, but the process wasn't an easy one. Blaine gasped several times and clenched his eyes tightly before he found himself curled onto his side, twisting his right hand into the pillow underneath his head.

"I'll go get a nurse, you need some pain medicine, Blaine."

"No!" Blaine's voice was sharp and filled with agony, but it halted Burt in his tracks.

"No more drugs."

Burt sighed and placed his hand gently on the boy's forehead, brushing off several sweat-soaked curls. "Blaine, you are in a lot of pain right now, they can help you with that."

Blaine shook his head adamantly between pained gasps.

Burt was suddenly hit with the realization of why Blaine would refuse the medication.

The doctors had told him that when Blaine was brought in, he was heavily drugged with a concoction of sleeping medications, illegal street drugs… and… Viagra.

_No wonder he's hesitant to allow any more chemicals to be pumped into his veins._

Burt sighed and pulled his chair closer to the trembling boy and laid a hand on his arm, much like he'd seen both Carole and Kurt do.

He gently traced careful patterns into the boy's skin with his large callused fingers for several minutes until Blaine's breathing became less jagged and he seemed to relax.

He could feel the boy sink further into the bed and it wasn't long until he heard gentle snores emanating from the exhausted teenager in front of him.

Burt sighed and let his chin fall to his chest in relief.

He took a deep breath in before raising his chin again and watched the gentle rise and fall of Blaine's chest as he slept, with his new phone held tightly in his fingers.

_Okay Kurt, you can come back now._

* * *

Kurt returned about thirty minutes later, dressed to the nines with his hair in its usual perfect coif and looking fresh and re-energized.

He stepped into the room carrying several shopping bags as well as his messenger tote.

When he peeked over and saw Blaine resting peacefully, he sighed a breath of relief and looked towards his father, who was sitting in the same plastic chair watching a hockey game on the television.

"How is he?" Kurt asked, setting the bags down on the floor next to Blaine's side table.

"He needs you Kurt."

A wave of panic rushed through his veins and Kurt turned back to look closer at the sleeping teenager. He then noticed for the first time, the tear tracks on his cheeks and how tightly his fingers were twisted into the pillow beneath his head.

"What happened?" Kurt whispered, his eyes not leaving Blaine's face.

"Nothing really." Burt replied with a shrug. "We just… _talked_. But he got pretty upset."

"Did he say anything?"

Burt shook his head.

Kurt titled his own head in pity for the broken boy on the bed, wishing he could do something to help him.

"Can't you just… like… _touch him_… and make him feel better… or something?" Burt stumbled to find the words he was looking for.

Kurt whipped his head around to face his father, a look of exasperation and confusion written into his delicate features.

"What?" He asked with a laugh.

Burt's face turned a deep crimson when he considered how outlandish his words had sounded.

"Uhhh… never mind."

Even though it had only been barely over an hour since Kurt had left the room, it looked as though Blaine was emotionally and physically drained as he lay on the hospital bed unmoving.

He wasn't even snoring anymore.

Kurt crawled up the end of the bed, careful not to get tangled in the IV line or the catheter tubing until he was nestled in his familiar spot next to Blaine's side.

He laid his head down on the pillow so he was facing Blaine after placing the most gentle of kisses on the boy's left temple.

Blaine stirred lightly for a moment before his eyes drifted open lazily.

"Hi." Kurt whispered, looking directly into the exhausted honey-brown orbs in front of him.

Their faces were so close together that Blaine could feel the lightest puff of breath produced by Kurt's single word.

A hint of spearmint mixed with vanilla and the floral scent of Kurt's bodywash filled the remaining air between them and Blaine breathed in the intoxicating aroma deeply.

It smelled like…_Kurt_.

Blaine opened his lips to reply, but all that came out was a near-silent whisper as he mouthed 'Hi'.

Kurt lifted his hand and gently ran his thumb under Blaine's eye and down his cheek, removing the salt-encrusted tearstains as he went.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, so softly that Blaine barely heard the words, but he still felt Kurt's gentle breath tickle his nose.

Blaine's eyes softened and he nodded.

_I am now._

Burt watched the exchange from only feet away, feeling almost guilty for imposing on what was so obviously a tender, intimate moment between the two boys.

Yet, there was nothing remotely sexual about the soothing touches and gentle whispers.

It wasn't the skin on skin contact that the boys craved.

No, it wasn't about that at all.

This was far more than just a physical exchange.

Burt couldn't help but think that it was almost like an energy exchange happened between them that caused the desired effect.

As if the simple loving caress of Kurt's fingertips was enough to refuel Blaine, leaving him looking more… _alive_ than he had looked all day.

He left the two boys to rest peacefully for several more minutes until a plump nurse with short black hair entered the room.

"Hello fellas." She said, eyeing up the boys cuddling closely on the bed.

"Hi Patty." Burt said, sitting up straighter in his chair. "Busy day today?"

She nodded, "Always, Mr. Hummel. Always."

Burt smiled politely as she stepped past him towards the bed.

"Blaine, How are you feeling this afternoon?"

Blaine looked up from his place beside Kurt and shrugged.

"Are you in any pain?"

Blaine's eyes widened only slightly as he looked past Patty, momentarily connecting with Burt's compassionate stare.

The elder Hummel shrugged and flashed him a look that said, _'your call buddy.'_

Blaine returned his eyes to Patty and shook his head.

The nurse nodded, knowing full well that the boy hadn't been truthful, but decided not to push it. If it got worse later, they would deal with it then.

"Okay Blaine." She said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small envelope. She pulled off the end of it and sprinkled several tiny pills into her palm. "Here are your medications for this afternoon, okay?"

Blaine glanced down at the multi-colored tablets in the woman's palm hesitantly.

Patty sighed and pointed towards each of the pills, explaining once again, what each was for.

"This white one and this green one are your antibiotics, Blaine. And this little pink one is to help the nausea. The other white one is an anti-inflammatory. It's going to help your shoulder feel better."

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed, but he reached over and took each of the four pills into his fingers and gently placed them onto his tongue. Patty handed him his maroon mug of water and he sipped from the straw until the pills were gone.

They left an acidic taste in his mouth, which made his face scrunch up in disgust as he handed the mug back to the nurse.

He felt a tiny squeeze of his hand and remembered that Kurt was there with him. When he glanced back down at the other teenager, the look of pride in his eyes filled Blaine with hope and love, rather than fear and despair.

"Okay Blaine." Patty said cheerfully, leaning onto the railing of the bed. "I have some good news for you."

All three of the men in the room sat up a little straighter.

Burt actually stood up from his chair and stepped closer to the bed.

_Had they got the blood test results back? Was Blaine going to be okay after all?_

"You seem to be doing much better now, so I'm going to take out your IV and your urinary catheter, okay?"

Blaine looked at Kurt at the same time that Kurt looked at Blaine.

Words flowed between them without either of them opening their mouths.

Kurt sat up in the bed next to Blaine and looked up at Patty.

"Is it going to hurt him?"

Patty shrugged noncommittally. "Discontinuing the IV won't hurt, but the de-catheterization is not going to be comfortable, I won't lie."

Blaine flinched slightly at her words.

"We were thinking about sedating Blaine for that part actually." Patty admitted. "So he won't feel a thing."

Blaine's eyes widened.

"Of course, you will have to leave the room for the duration, Kurt."

Blaine's hand squeezed tightly around Kurt's fingers.

"I'm not leaving him."

Patty sighed and whispered gently into Kurt's ear. "He'll be okay Kurt. He will be sedated, so he won't even know that you're not here."

"He'll know." Kurt didn't even try to disguise his voice with a whisper.

He looked back at Blaine with a genuine look of trust and love.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Blaine nodded, but he still looked extremely anxious.

Patty looked at Burt, desperate for his help.

"I don't think Blaine is going to want to be sedated." Burt stated cautiously. He didn't want to upset the nurse, but after his realization earlier, he knew that he spoke the truth.

He pulled Patty aside and explained this theory to her quietly.

She nodded in agreement, but still looked wary.

"Mr. Hummel, this… _procedure_… was done on him when he was under anesthetic for his surgeries. It could be extremely traumatizing for him to go through it while he's awake."

Burt nodded, taking a deep breath. "I understand that, but I think we need to give him the choice. He needs to be in control of what happens to him now."

Patty nodded again silently. She looked at Burt and sighed. "I'll ask him."

Burt swallowed an imaginary lump of discomfort in his throat. "Let me."

He quietly stepped back over to the bed and leaned on the rail, addressing both Kurt and Blaine.

"Hey buddy." He started, grasping Blaine's shoulder lightly. "There are a couple of options okay?"

Blaine gulped, but nodded warily.

"They can give you some medicine for you to go to sleep and you won't feel anything okay?" Burt hesitated before continuing. "Or, they can just do it while you're awake. It's gonna hurt and it's gonna be a little scary, but we'll be right here beside you the whole time, alright?"

Blaine's grip tightened on Kurt's hand and his lower lip began to quiver slightly. He gulped again and glanced around the room with wild, fearful eyes as though he was looking for a way to escape either option.

Kurt lifted Blaine's hand up to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss onto his knuckles, which seemed to calm him enough to regain his composure.

Blaine returned his eyes back to the teenager beside him and gave him a fearful look.

_What do I do?_

"You get to decide, Blaine." Kurt said encouragingly. "Then, it will be over soon then we won't have to worry about it anymore."

Blaine nodded.

"Blaine?" Patty broke in again. "Do you want us to put you to sleep?"

Several tears leaked out of Blaine's eyes and fell down his cheeks.

He sniffled, pressed the back of his hand to his face to wipe away the tears, then he breathed in a ragged breath before shaking his head.

"Okay." Patty said softly. "I'll try and do my best to make it as pain free as I can, alright?"

Blaine nodded.

Several minutes later, Blaine was positioned on the hospital bed on his back, with Kurt standing on the floor next to him, holding his right hand through the metal rail.

Burt was standing next to him on the opposite side of the bed, with a gentle hand pressed onto his left shoulder.

A green surgical drape had been hung across his torso, creating a makeshift curtain between them and Patty, who was positioned at the opposite end of the bed.

"Okay Blaine, you are going to feel me touch you now, okay?" She spoke quietly but effectively. "Just know that it's only me, and it will be over soon."

Blaine pulled his upper lip into his mouth and bit down firmly on it with his teeth. The coppery sensation that soon hit his taste buds told him that he'd bitten down too hard.

"Blaine, sweetie… can you look at me?"

He hadn't even realized that he'd clenched his eyes closed.

It took all of his courage to open them once again and turn his head to face Kurt, who was standing next to him, holding his hand and offering him the most courageous smile he'd ever seen.

"We can do this, okay?" Kurt whispered. "I've got you."

Blaine was about to nod when he felt something cold touch him… _down there_… and he flinched violently.

"Blaine, you have to try and hold still sweetheart." He heard Patty say from behind the curtain. "I'm sorry if my hands are cold."

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut once again as he felt her touch the end of his…

"Blaine… look at me… open your eyes and look at me." Kurt's voice suddenly sounded distant.

_The monster. _

_The monster is touching me._

Blaine's breathing rate quickened and his heart began to race.

"Blaine… sweetie… please open your eyes."

He could feel the monster's cold, unforgiving hands grabbing him and squeezing him and he tried desperately to pull his legs away.

"Damn it." A voice spoke loudly. "Can you hold him down?"

When Blaine felt the extra heaviness lean onto his legs his mind began to race.

_He's holding me down. _

_He's going to…_

"Blaine…" The voice next to him sounded desperate. "Please just open your eyes. It's me… it's…"

_Kurt._

_Why is Kurt here?_

_He took Kurt?_

_Oh god… Kurt!_

"Blaine… I'm here. You're okay now. You're at the hospital. We're safe."

_Safe?_

_We're not safe. _

_He's here._

_He's touching me._

_Please don't let him touch me anymore._

Blaine suddenly felt the bed move before feeling a warm embrace fill up the space next to him.

A warm breath blew gently over his nose and he felt something press against his forehead.

The room suddenly felt warmer.

And brighter.

The darkness was gone.

The cage was gone.

The monster… was gone.

Another warm breath tickled his cheek, and his ears filled with reassuring words.

Strength.

Trust.

Love.

Courage.

His forehead felt warm.

He was warm.

And safe.

_Kurt._

Blaine's breathing became less ragged and he suddenly stopped fighting and relaxed into the bed.

It took him several deep breaths before he felt strong enough to open his eyes.

Kurt stared back at him with tears falling freely down his cheeks.

"Hi." Kurt sobbed. He wanted to be brave, but Blaine… oh, Blaine.

Blaine tensed up once again when he felt a burning sensation below his waist.

"Look at me." Kurt whispered, desperately pressing his hands onto the sides of Blaine's face and kneading his thumbs into his temples lightly. "I'm here. Stay with me."

A pained gasp escaped Blaine's lips and his face scrunched up in discomfort.

He opened his eyes again and forced himself to stare into the endless blue beauty that was Kurt's eyes.

They were filled with strength.

And love.

And courage.

"Almost done sweetheart." He vaguely heard Patty say. "I'm so sorry Blaine."

Burt's hand pressed harder into his shoulder after the next whimper tumbled out of his lips.

"Hang in there, buddy. You're doing so good."

Blaine remained focused on Kurt's face, listening intently to his continuous affirmations for several more minutes until the discomfort below his waist disappeared.

He took in a slow, ragged breath, too afraid to move.

He didn't have the strength to convince himself that it was over.

_What if his mind was playing tricks on him? What if there was more?_

"I'm all done sweetheart." He heard Patty say and Blaine released the breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Several more tears slipped down his cheeks.

"It's over Blaine." Kurt cooed next to him, pressing his lips softly onto his forehead, and then again onto his temple. "It's all over. You did it."

Patty finished up with her procedure and removed the IV from Blaine's arm before pressing a hand gently onto his knee.

"You did so good, Blaine." She whispered. "Now you should get some rest so you can go home tomorrow, okay?"

Blaine's eyes fluttered closed.

_It's over._

_I'm okay._

_Kurt is here. _

_Wait. What?_

His eyes shot back open and he looked at Kurt for confirmation of what he thought he'd just heard.

_Go home?_

"You heard her right, Blaine." Kurt smiled excitedly. "You get to come home with us tomorrow!"

Burt and Patty both smiled fondly at the two boys in front of them.

For the first time since… Burt wasn't even sure how long… he definitely noticed a flash of life behind Blaine's honey-brown eyes.

_Progress_.

* * *

"I stopped and picked up a few things on my way back here." Kurt said, leaning over and picking up the shopping bags.

Blaine was once again turned onto his side and was resting comfortably in the hospital bed, watching Kurt's every move with softened eyes.

Burt had bid the boys farewell and headed home for the evening, after promising to return first thing in the morning to bring Blaine home.

Kurt pulled up the bags, set them in the white plastic chair and began rummaging through them. He pulled out a pair of grey sweat pants.

"I know they're not very fashionable, but Patty said I should bring you comfortable clothes to wear home." He explained, presenting Blaine with the soft fabric. "So I stopped and grabbed a few things that would be in your size."

Blaine's eyes widened in disbelief as he ran his fingers over the soft material.

He raised his head until his eyes met Kurt's and he flashed his friend a hesitant look that undoubtedly said, _'Kurt, you shouldn't have.'_

Kurt smiled, understanding exactly what Blaine was silently trying to tell him.

"Blaine. Don't even try and convince me that I shouldn't have bought these for you. You know how much I love shopping and this was a great excuse for me to go!" He smiled, pulling a plain grey T-shirt out of the bag. "Plus, I found some great Black Friday sales."

Blaine's bushy triangular eyebrows knit in confusion and he sat up in the bed in alarm.

_Black Friday?_

"Oh my god, Blaine. No one told you what day it is? It's almost December!"

Blaine's eyes widened when he realized what Kurt was telling him.

"Thanksgiving was like… _days_ ago!"

_December?_

_I've been… gone for… weeks?_

The discovery hit him hard.

He'd figured he had been gone for a week, maybe a week and a half, but apparently he'd blanked out for almost a month.

Kurt understood immediately why Blaine had grown so distant.

"Blaine… Are you alright?"

No response.

"It's okay, Blaine. I know you were… _gone_ for a little while, but you're back now. You're safe."

"H-how long was I there?"

Kurt was surprised at Blaine's sudden question, but tried to hide his astonishment by answering right away.

"Thirteen days."

The shocked gasp that fell from Blaine's lips shattered Kurt's heart.

"This is day ten that you've been here in the hospital." He added, knowing that it would be Blaine's next question.

Blaine's lips parted like he wanted to say something, but all that came from his mouth were confused, shocked breaths.

Kurt set down the clothes and walked over to him, gently laying a hand on his right arm.

"It's okay, Blaine. It took you a little while to get healed up." He whispered soothingly.

"You were pretty… _sick_…when we first found you."

Blaine still couldn't believe that he'd missed almost a full month of his life. He recalled back to two years ago when he'd spent months in the hospital recovering from the attack.

_Why does this always happen to me?_

_Why can't I just be… safe?_

As if Kurt had read his mind, he gently rubbed soothing circles into the flesh on Blaine's arm.

"You don't have to worry now Blaine." He said softly. "You're safe. And you're almost completely healed."

Kurt's gentle touch calmed Blaine and he was suddenly reminded about Patty's promise.

_I get to go home tomorrow._

_Home with the Hummels._

_Home with Kurt._

He looked back up at Kurt, tried his best to look appreciative, and nodded.

Kurt smiled before pulling his arm away gently and pressing another kiss to Blaine's right temple.

He went back over to the chair, grabbed both bags and set them on the bed next to Blaine.

"Wanna see what else I found for you?" Kurt asked with a devious grin.

Blaine nodded.

Kurt showed Blaine the numerous items he'd bought for him, everything from a new comb and toothbrush, to several pairs of socks and boxer shorts and a grey hooded sweatshirt.

Then, Kurt pulled out a black polo shirt and a pair of red jeans.

"I know you won't want to wear these just yet, but I thought you'd look amazing in them when you're ready." He announced proudly.

Blaine's eyes widened at the colored fabric. He ran his fingers down the denim and could feel that the garments were of high quality.

Kurt pulled out a white belt and a pair of yellow sunglasses from the shopping bag.

Blaine's left eyebrow arched in uncertainty.

"Accessories!" Kurt announced excitedly. "You have to have accessories!"

Blaine's eyes glittered slightly, sending waves of exhilaration through Kurt's chest.

He reached into the bag once again and pulled out a large velvet box.

"I don't know if you're going to like this or not, but I saw it and thought it would match your new outfit perfectly."

Kurt's delicate fingers pried open the box and when Blaine saw what was inside, his jaw dropped and his eyes became wide.

It was a bow tie.

A red, white, grey and black-striped bow tie.

Kurt noticed Blaine's hesitance to reach out and touch it and temporarily felt as though he'd misjudged his intuition.

_I thought Blaine would love it._

_I hoped that it would…_

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted when his eyes returned to Blaine's face and he saw something that made his heart pound heavily in his chest.

Blaine was smiling.

It wasn't much, but the corners of his mouth were lifted slightly.

He was definitely smiling.

Kurt almost fainted.

That was the smile he'd been missing for so long.

The smile he wasn't sure he'd ever see again.

"It's perfect."

Kurt beamed at Blaine's choice of words.

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on the tip of Blaine's nose.

"Just like you, Blaine. Just like you."

* * *

"Oh!" Kurt said suddenly, several minutes later. "I almost forgot!"

He walked back over and rummaged to the bottom of the shopping bag before pulling out a much smaller forest green paper bag and handing it to Blaine.

"This was actually what I went shopping for, but in typical _'Kurt-like fashion'_, I got a little side-tracked and ended up getting all the rest of this stuff too!"

Blaine accepted the bag, surprised when it weighed more than he'd expected and brought it down onto his lap. He held the bag with the fingers of his left hand, which remained secured in its sling and reached inside with his right hand and pulled out the contents.

A book.

No… not _just_ a book.

A journal.

The cover was made of soft chocolate brown leather, which felt impossibly smooth under Blaine's fingertips. He ran his pointer finger down the edge of the cover, feeling the softness of the underside of the leather.

The flawless leather covered the pages in their entirety, overlapping in the front, and was held closed by a thin, matching string of the same leather, no thicker than the width of a shoelace, and was beautifully entwined into the binding of the pages to keep them secure.

With a shaky breath, Blaine unwound the long, thin piece of leather that had been wrapped around the outside of the book several times.

He gently pulled back the leather cover and gasped softly when he opened it up to expose the inside of the journal.

The very first page was inscribed with a quote, handwritten in Kurt's elegant cursive.

* * *

"**If music be the food of love, play on." **

– **William Shakespeare**

* * *

Once Blaine had caught his breath, he flipped through the book slowly. The blank pages were made of thick, smooth paper of the finest quality and were slightly off-white in color.

Blaine once again lifted his fingers and ran them down the pages slowly, marveling at the softness of the paper. There were no lines printed on the blank pages, designed specifically to avoid creating boundaries, which would enslave the writer's creativity.

He flipped through the identical pages until he came to the back cover before flipping the journal back over in his hands and wrapping the leather back around it, securely closing it once again.

Again, Blaine ran his fingers down the front of the journal, gently tracing over the same indented letters that had stolen his breath the moment he'd seen them embossed elegantly into the leather.

**Courage**.

The one word that held so much power.

Gave him so much strength.

"I hope you don't mind that I took it to a leather shop and had that stamped into the cover."

Blaine was brought out of his trance at Kurt's gently spoken words.

He'd been so engulfed in the beauty of the book in his hands, that he'd almost forgotten that Kurt was still standing next to him.

"I know that you are having a hard time talking right now, Blaine." Kurt whispered, gently caressing his fingers down Blaine's forearm. "So I thought it might be easier for you to write down your thoughts."

As much as he'd wanted to reply, Blaine was held completely speechless. His throat felt constricted and he could feel moisture gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"No one will ever read it, so you can write whatever you want to. It's yours."

Blaine's fingers trembled lightly against the soft leather of the journal and he pulled it up into his chest, tightly securing it to his body with the palm of his right hand.

When he finally gathered the strength to look up at Kurt, he couldn't help but allow several tears to stream down his cheeks.

"T-thank you, Kurt." He whispered. "It's beautiful."

Kurt's insides warmed at Blaine's heartfelt words. He reached further into the green paper bag and pulled out an expensive looking case filled with fine-tipped fountain pens of several different colors.

"You're going to need some nice pens to write with Blaine." Kurt said matter-of-factly, handing him the case. "It's always much easier to find inspiration when you're working with something beautiful."

Blaine's eyes filled with more love and emotion than they'd had in ages.

It looked to Kurt as though Blaine wanted to say something, but he remained completely silent.

"I also think that the different colors will inspire different feelings too." Kurt added.

"And I thought that maybe you'd like to use music as your inspiration when you're writing as well, hence the quote on the first page."

Blaine looked at Kurt again, unsure of what he meant.

"When I listen to music, it's not just the beat, or even the lyrics of the song that I relate to… it's the combination of _everything_. You know when you hear that _'one song'_ and you just know that it's… _perfect_?" Kurt sounded dreamy as he spoke.

"Music inspires me to believe, Blaine. It inspires me to dream, to love, and to have courage. It gives me the strength to love myself and to never back down. But it also keeps me grounded; constantly reminding me about what's important and what worth fighting for."

"You're worth fighting for, Blaine… And I want to help _you_ find your courage again."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**~ This chapter has inspired things in me that I didn't even know existed. ~**

**While writing this chapter (particularly the part about Blaine's journal), and speaking with a close (and very special) friend of mine, I came to my own realization:**

_**We are taught, from a young age to stay inside the lines. (Boundaries)**_

_**I say – screw the lines and screw the boundaries.**_

_**Be who you want to be, and do what you want to do. **_

_**And don't let anyone or anything stand in your way!**_

**Have ~ COURAGE ~ my friends!**

* * *

**For any of you that are not subscribed to my author alerts, I am going to be introducing an accompanying piece to run parallel with "Underneath." **

**The title will be "Courage". **

**It's going to be written in Blaine's point of view – as entries in his new journal. **

**We'll finally be able to see what's going on inside his head after all he's been through.**

**Thank you all so much for your continued support! **

**XOXO**

**-RH**


	26. Of Truth - Part I

**Ch. 25 Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – Amazing. As always. The Soulmate pieces of this story are so much fun to write. I love getting into these boy's heads and trying to think about what they feel, what they see, smell, hear… everything. It's almost like their senses are heightened when they are around each other. And when they are apart, a 'piece' is missing. I love them. Thank you SO MUCH for creating the 'Courage' Journal on Tumblr and for designing the amazing pictures to go with it. You continue to amaze me every day. Love you! xoxo

**Byubyu** – Blaine has indeed suffered enough already. If you're following along with "Courage", you'll realize that he is still (obviously) struggling with everything that happened, but at least now he has an outlet for those feelings, in writing in his journal!

**WritingGeek27116 – **Thank you soooo much for taking the time to read and review! I know that life can sometimes get in the way so it means to much to me that you are always willing to set aside time and review my work. You're amazing. THANK YOU.

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Thank you so much for your kind words! Sorry this update took so long!

**Snowangellms** (Chapter 4) – Thank you so much for sticking with me! I appreciate you!

**DrocoCriss** – I'm sorry I left you with yet another cliffhanger… I just kept writing so much that I couldn't jam it all into one chapter! Keep reading… ;)

**Justanotherfangurl** –

**JMarieAllenPoe** – My first 'Ermahgerd.' My life is complete ;) Thank you, once again for your awesome review! You always leave me smiling.

**Springbay** – Thanks for your review! It has been difficult to write about Blaine's struggles, but I think it is important to 'tell it like it is' and make it believable. Thanks for your support! Xoxo

**Blainchel forever** – Awww… your review was also 'AMAZING" Thank you so much!

**Anderpson** – Yes, Burt is one of my favourite characters to write. He's so amazing. Such a great dad. Thanks for reading!

**Ritza71 **– Wow! That means so much to me that you would say those things! I appreciate the positive thoughts! Thanks so much for believing in me! xoxo

**Liz** – Its ADDICTING to write as well! I can't stop writing! And now with 'Courage', I get to write little Blaine drabbles even more often!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Thank you! I love you too! xoxox

**Msdarque** – Slowly but surely! Blaine is on his way back from a very dark place. They are Soulmates. They are complete only when they are together! I love them.

**dd** (Chapter 4) – Yes… that was a really fun chapter to write! Thanks for reading!

**Sara (guest)** – Thank you so much Sara! That means a lot to me! Thanks for your support!

**Mzjem** – Yes, this was BY FAR my favourite chapter as well! I am putting a lot of 'myself' into this story and this chapter really showed that. Thanks so much for believing in me!

**GleekCow13** – Blaine is finally ready to 'come home'. This next chapter is a big one for him and his healing process. Enjoy!

**Purpleview** – Breathtaking is exactly what I was going for! And as far as research goes – I am actually a medic (ambulance attendant), so I do have a little extra knowledge about the medical side of things! I always enjoy being able to write about things I know lots about… (Mostly Klaine Kluddles and Klisses…) ha ha ;)

**Moioui** – Awww! Thank you for taking the time to read my story and leave a review! That means so much to me! I know all about the happy-emotional laugher that's purely reserved for Klaine-related things… I 'use' it all the time! Thanks for your support! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Burt Hummel. By far the coolest dad on TV (**EVER**).

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**You guys/gals are just too darn awesome! I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing from you after each chapter that I post! You make me so happy!**

**I decided to split Chapter 26 in half (Thank you DrizzleSnow for YET ANOTHER brilliant idea! Xoxo) There is so much going on in this chapter, I didn't want the good bits to get lost!**

**ENJOY!**

Find me on Twitter: Ryleigh_Hayle

Or on Tumblr: RyleighHayle

I would love for you to add me and help me share my stories!

**Check out Blaine's journal on Tumblr: Courage-Journal**

**XOXO**

**-RH**

* * *

**~Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine.~**

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter contains scenes of violence, coarse language and depictions of non-consensual sexual acts. **

** ~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 26

Kurt shifted uncomfortably in the white plastic chair as he lazily flipped through the latest copy of Vogue magazine he'd picked up at the hospital gift shop.

He stifled a yawn as he glanced over once again to where Blaine lay in his hospital bed, curled onto his side, sleeping peacefully.

Kurt couldn't help but watch the boy sleep.

The way his long dark eyelashes were splayed gently over his cheeks, the subtle rise and fall of his chest, and the soft snores that emanated from his lips.

He looked beautiful.

Kurt's heart warmed as he realized that this was the first time since Blaine had been admitted into the hospital that he looked like he was resting comfortably.

He was relieved that Blaine was going to be released today. He was almost certain that bringing Blaine home would be a step in the right direction.

Blaine needed comfort, familiarity, and love.

He needed a family.

A sudden disturbance in Blaine's rhythmic pattern of breathing drew Kurt's attention back to his angelic face as he slept.

A frown had taken shape on Blaine's face; his eyebrows were knit slightly and several tiny creases had formed on his forehead.

_Is he dreaming again?_

Kurt stood up from the chair and gracefully closed the gap between him and the snoring boy before running a gentle finger across Blaine's forehead, effectively brushing a stray curl off to the side.

"Shhh, Blaine." He murmured softly, "Just rest now. You're safe."

He leaned over the metal rail of the hospital bed and placed a whisper of a kiss on Blaine's left temple, which immediately resulted in the frown disappearing from the boy's face.

"That's it, sweetheart. Just rest."

Kurt stood next to Blaine for several minutes, softly caressing his forehead and cheekbone with his thin, delicate thumb, nurturing him back to sleep.

"We're going to take you home today, Blaine." He whispered to the unhearing boy.

"Back where you belong."

Blaine appeared to relax further into the mattress and his breathing returned to its regular undisturbed pattern.

Kurt glanced over to the white clock that hung on the wall above the door exiting the room.

It was nearly ten in the morning.

He'd slipped out of the bed several hours ago to call Burt and tell him not to rush in to pick them up.

Blaine was finally sleeping and Kurt didn't have the heart to wake him.

It had been a rough night.

Blaine had awoken several times in a cold sweat and breathing heavily.

Once, he'd even woken up screaming.

Shortly after 3am, Blaine had been ripped from his slumber so abruptly that when he'd opened his eyes and found someone lying in bed with him, he'd freaked out and pushed himself away from where Kurt was asleep next to him.

Kurt woke up immediately and reached out to comfort Blaine, but ended up getting shoved hard against the metal rail of the bed before Blaine had regained his composure enough to realize what he'd done.

The look on his face when he'd recognized that it was Kurt on the bed next to him was enough to shatter even the strongest man's soul.

He'd looked devastated.

Kurt had tried to mask the pain that the unforgiving metal had caused his back, but Blaine had known immediately that he'd hurt him after Kurt had winced ever so slightly.

The older teen had taken several deep breaths, giving Blaine enough time to re-acclimatize himself before moving in close and laying them both down on the bed once again.

Kurt had wrapped his arms protectively around the upset teenager and held him tight.

But neither of them had fallen back to sleep.

Kurt had felt Blaine roll to his left and turn on the small reading lamp next to his bed moments later, and then heard the frantic scratches of Blaine scribbling in his journal.

He'd known Blaine was upset with himself. He could almost feel the anger and disappointment drifting off the smaller teen from where he lay next to him. Kurt wished that Blaine would just open up to him and speak, but he was relieved that Blaine had taken to writing in his new journal.

At least he was able to process his pent-up emotions somehow.

Kurt was still wide-awake when Blaine shot up in the bed a forth time, just before 5am.

Kurt was exhausted. He'd continued to lie next to Blaine, trying his best to stay awake with him and provide comfort when the nightmares plagued his slumber, but he was wearing thin.

He'd felt the burning in his eyes as they were desperate to remain closed, but at the slightest sound next to him, Kurt couldn't help but re-open them and listen for any sign of Blaine's struggles.

He had to be strong.

For Blaine.

He'd heard the boy scribbling in his journal again several minutes later before the dim reading lamp had been turned off and Blaine nestled into the mattress once again.

Kurt had then heard him reach over and pull his iPhone off the table next to him, unwind the cord attached to the earbuds and settle back down into the bed while flipping through the playlists that he'd created that afternoon.

He hadn't wanted to disturb Blaine and he'd known that the teen was likely still upset with himself for shoving Kurt only hours before.

So he'd feigned sleep.

Kurt couldn't help but smile when he'd heard Blaine's soft snores become laced within the soft lyrics of a familiar Katy Perry tune as one of the earbuds slipped out of place less than ten minutes after the music had started playing.

_Music really is the best therapy._

* * *

Kurt yawned as he stood up from where he was leaning over the bed, and was about to step back to his chair when he noticed the brown leather journal peeking out from underneath Blaine's pillow.

He would love to flip it open and see what Blaine had been writing about, but he knew that wasn't even an option.

Blaine was finally able to express what he was feeling and Kurt knew that he needed the reassurance that his journal would remain private.

He couldn't risk breaking what little trust he'd worked so hard to gain thus far.

Kurt just hoped that Blaine would eventually grow to trust him enough to share his feelings and thoughts with him vocally.

He missed talking with the curly-haired football player.

* * *

Kurt was sitting in the white chair once again, having dozed off for a few minutes when the rustling of bed sheets stirred him awake.

He stretched his sore back and turned his head towards the hospital bed with a sleepy sigh until he found himself staring into a wide pair of honey-hazel eyes.

A smile crept onto Kurt's face as he acknowledged Blaine with a tiny nod.

"Hi." Kurt whispered softly.

Blaine's eyes followed methodically as Kurt stood up and carried the chair next to the bed and sat back down.

"You finally got some decent sleep hey?"

Blaine shrugged, and then nodded silently.

"It was a rough night, wasn't it?"

Blaine didn't reply, but Kurt could see the guilt and anguish that flooded the teen's face.

Kurt hesitated before continuing slowly, carefully choosing his words.

"You didn't hurt me, Blaine." He whispered, leaning in gently. "I'm okay."

Blaine stayed silent, but his eyes filled with doubt and he glanced up at Kurt with a look that undeniably said, '_Maybe_ _this time_.'

Blaine's eyes drifted down to the white bandage that remained on the left side of Kurt's neck, just below his ear.

_Just like I didn't cause that, right?_

"It's alright Blaine, you were just scared." Kurt assured him. "You didn't know it was me."

Still no reply.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Kurt reached over and pulled the side table next to Blaine. A grey plastic cafeteria tray was sitting on top of it, and was filled with an assortment of breakfast items.

He pressed the button on the side of the bed that lifted the head up slightly, manoeuvring Blaine into a semi-sitting position.

"The nurses brought up some breakfast for you." Kurt explained. "There is a fruit salad, some cereal and a couple pieces of toast."

Nothing.

Blaine continued to stare past Kurt, looking depressed and slightly agitated.

"There's peanut butter…" Kurt sang happily.

Blaine physically turned his body away from Kurt and lay staring at the opposite wall.

Kurt's smile faded immediately and a dark, empty feeling inhabited his chest.

"Blaine, you have to eat something." He said sadly. "Would you like me to open up the carton of apple juice for you?"

Kurt wasn't expecting Blaine to answer, but that didn't make him feel less sad when he didn't receive a reply from the dark-haired boy next to him.

"Blaine, you have to at least try." Kurt attempted. "Since they took out your IV, you're not getting any fluids anymore. You need to try and keep something down so you don't get dehydrated again."

No answer.

Kurt kept his eyes on the boy's back for several more minutes, trying desperately to pass along a silent message to him that he was only trying to help.

But Blaine wouldn't even acknowledge Kurt's presence.

After twenty minutes of silence, Kurt's attention was brought back to Blaine, who had started fidgeting nervously next to him.

Blaine had rolled over once again and was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. His hands were trembling slightly and his fingers rubbing uneasily together.

"Blaine, are you okay?" Kurt sounded worried. This was a new appearance for Blaine. He didn't appear frightened, or guilty, or even in pain.

He looked… anxious.

"I-I have to go."

Kurt's eyes widened.

_What_?

"You- what do you mean, you have to go?" Kurt asked. "Blaine, you can't leave here yet. My dad is…"

"I have to… _go_." Blaine indicated awkwardly. He nodded towards his lower half.

It finally dawned on Kurt what the boy meant.

_Oh_.

"You have to… _go_!" Kurt repeated with a sigh of relief. "To the bathroom!"

Blaine nodded, and a deep shade of red seeped into his neck and cheeks.

Kurt giggled slightly. "You had me worried, I thought you meant… like… _go_ – go."

Blaine grimaced. He was getting desperate.

He'd been holding it for the past few hours, uncertain of how he was going to be able to get up and walk to the bathroom. He knew that Kurt would help him, no questions asked, but it was still so… _embarrassing_.

_Maybe I should have let them leave the catheter in…_

"Come on." Kurt announced, lifting the head of the bed the rest of the way up. He lowered the side rail and reached his hand out towards Blaine with a reassuring smile.

"I'll help you."

Blaine swallowed the lump of reluctance that had been residing in his throat before he turned his body towards Kurt and slowly tried to lift his legs towards the side of the bed.

Moving his lower extremities didn't hurt has much as he'd anticipated it would.

Blaine had assumed that after lying in bed for over a week, his lower half would be riddled with pain at the slightest movement.

_Maybe this won't be so bad…_

With a guiding arm from Kurt's as support, Blaine was able to carefully swing his legs off the side of the bed and sit up completely.

He took a minute to adjust to the new position, allowing his feet to dangle off the side of the bed before he began to wiggle closer to the edge.

His bare toes finally made contact with the cool smooth surface of the floor and Blaine could feel the tiny twinges of pins and needles tickling his feet from so may days of disuse.

"Just go nice and slow, okay?" Kurt instructed from beside him. "It's been a little while since you've stood up."

Kurt couldn't help but think about the days that Blaine had been lying in the hospital bed.

And before that, being locked up in that tiny cage.

_How long had it actually been since Blaine had been standing?_

Blaine nodded as he felt Kurt wrap his arm around his torso, providing him with a safety net.

When both of his feet were finally planted firmly on the ground, Blaine lifted himself off the bed, with help from Kurt taking his right hand strongly into his own.

There weren't any sharp pains that came along with the movement, but Blaine definitely felt the discomfort of the newly added pressure to his lower half.

He closed his eyes and sucked in a cautious breath as he felt the dull ache below his waistline.

"Are you okay?"

_Kurt. _

_Kurt is here. _

_I'm okay._

Blaine nodded, his eyes still closed as he waited for the dull ache to dissipate.

It didn't.

"Okay." Kurt instructed confidently, placing his other hand on Blaine's abdomen. "Let's try and take a step, alright?"

Blaine took a deep breath and re-opened his eyes. He calculated the distance to the bathroom door to be approximately eight steps.

He nodded and wrapped his own right arm around Kurt's back.

He lifted his left foot slowly and slid it forward on the cool floor.

The dull ache in his backside flared up with the new movement, causing Blaine to release a tiny whimper.

"Shhh." Kurt whispered softly. "Deep breaths, Blaine. Deep breaths."

Blaine stopped moving and focused on breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth as per Kurt's insistent coaching.

When he felt he was ready, Blaine lifted his right foot and took another tiny step forward until it met up with the left one.

It was agonizing.

Each step took so much concentration and effort that Blaine felt exhausted after only a few minutes.

He glanced up to see how much progress they'd made and his heart sunk when he realized that they'd only travelled about a foot a half from his bed.

So much for eight steps.

_Likely more like eighty at this rate._

"It's okay, Blaine." Kurt reassured, as though reading Blaine's mind. "We don't have to go fast. We'll get you there."

Blaine, feeling slightly defeated, lifted his left foot to take another step when suddenly a sharp pain shot up his lower back, causing his knees to buckle.

He couldn't contain the pained gasp that accompanied the sensation of feeling himself falling towards the floor.

Blaine closed his eyes and prepared for the massive amount of pain that would undoubtedly come with landing on the cool, stone-hard floor of his hospital room.

But he never reached the floor.

"It's okay, I've got you." Kurt said, struggling to maintain his grip. "I've got you."

He was able to lift Blaine back into a semi-standing position long enough to reach across and drag a wheelchair over with his foot.

"Here." Kurt said, strategically positioning the chair under Blaine. "Just sit down for a minute."

Blaine's eyes were still clenched tightly closed and Kurt could feel his fist grabbing desperately to the back of his sweater as he struggled to maintain what little composure he had left.

Seconds later, Kurt was able to lower Blaine gently into the chair.

Upon contact with the seat of the wheelchair, Blaine gasped again and pitched himself forward slightly, in attempt to take some of the pressure off of his tender backside.

Kurt kneeled in front of him and took his free hand into both of his own. He could feel Blaine squeeze his fingers tighter and tighter as he held his breath, not daring to release the air in fear of igniting more pain.

"Blaine, you have to breathe." Kurt instructed, unwavering. "I know it hurts, but you have to breathe."

Blaine opened his lips and forced out some air through his clenched teeth.

"That's it." Kurt encouraged, running his free hand up and down Blaine's shoulder and back. "You're doing good… Just take some breaths for me."

It took another three or four minutes until Kurt was successful in getting Blaine breathing properly once again.

When the pain had seemingly subsided enough for Blaine to be able to think coherently, Kurt stood back up next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Blaine. Are you okay now?"

Kurt could see the mixture of shame and anger on Blaine's face, but the teen didn't answer.

"It's okay, Blaine. That was only the first try. We'll try walking again in a little bit, alright?"

Still no reply.

"I'm assuming you still need to use the bathroom?" Kurt asked several minutes later.

Blaine still refused to meet Kurt's eye but this time he was forced to nod his head.

He really needed to go.

"I'm going to wheel you into the bathroom now, okay?"

Blaine shrugged helplessly.

_It's not like I can do it myself, can I?_

Kurt carefully wheeled Blaine into the tiny bathroom and positioned the chair in front of the toilet.

"Can I help you stand?"

Tears stung in Blaine's eyes as he nodded once again.

_Pride? What pride?_

Kurt carefully placed an arm around Blaine's upper back and helped him to his feet.

It wasn't as painful as the first time, but Blaine still felt the ache as he climbed unsurely to his feet.

Kurt remained behind him, supporting him until Blaine felt slightly steadier where he stood.

"Do you… uh… need me to...?"

Blaine grimaced and looked towards the opposite wall. There was no way he was going to make eye contact with Kurt now.

Or ever again.

He shook his head and shakily reached around with his good arm and pulled up the thin hospital gown.

It took him several minutes of standing impatiently before he was finally able to relax enough and allow his bladder to empty. The burning sensation that followed made him wince and he felt further humiliation when he couldn't contain the pained gasp that escaped his lips.

Kurt remained by his side stoically, not wanting to impose, or cause Blaine any further humiliation.

He couldn't image what Blaine must be feeling right now.

After Blaine had finished, Kurt helped him back into the chair, and then wheeled him to the sink, where he dampened a face cloth with warm water and handed it to Blaine to refresh himself.

Blaine didn't speak a word to Kurt; instead, he merely took the cloth and numbly ran it over his face and neck.

The warmth felt good against his sleepy eyes and tired muscles, but secretly, Blaine would have loved the water to be scalding hot.

Warm water would never be able to wash away the filth.

_I'm dirty and used and disgusting. _

Blaine's mind drifted back to Burt Hummel's words.

_Blood tests._

_Infected._

_Oh god…_

It had been several days since the nurses had given Blaine his sponge bath, and Kurt couldn't imagine how dirty and unkempt Blaine must be feeling.

"When we get you home, I'm going to help you get cleaned up properly, okay?"

Blaine nodded expressionlessly.

Kurt immediately noticed the lack of animation in Blaine's eyes as he slowly sponged his face with the towel.

It worried him.

That tiny spark of life that had been present yesterday was gone.

After he'd wheeled him back into the room, Kurt came around the side of the wheelchair and knelt down in front of Blaine.

"Would you like to try walking again?" He asked hesitantly. "The nurses said you should try a few times before we take you home."

Blaine shook his head without moving his eyes to look at Kurt.

"Do you want me to help you back into bed again?"

A lonely tear slipped from Blaine's left eye and streamed down his cheek as he shook his head.

"What can I do, Blaine?" Kurt sounded desperate. "P-please, just tell me what I can do."

Blaine squeezed his eyes closed, causing another tear to slip down his cheek.

_I don't know._

Kurt reached under the pillow and pulled out Blaine's journal and the black pen that was tucked underneath it.

He handed them to Blaine slowly, as a tear slipped down his own cheek.

"I'm going to go call my dad and see when he's coming, alright?" Kurt whispered.

He felt lost.

He didn't know what to do anymore to help Blaine.

He pressed a gentle kiss onto Blaine's forehead, allowing his lips to linger for a few more seconds than usual. "Will you be okay here for a few minutes?"

Blaine nodded, still not looking up from his lap.

"I'll be just outside the door, okay? I promise."

Blaine finally lifted his head seconds after Kurt had turned away from him and started to walk out of the room.

His lower lip quivered and several more tears inched their way down his cheeks as he silently watched the boy leave the room.

"I'm so sorry, Kurt."

But his words were spoken too softly for anyone to hear them.

* * *

Blaine had just finished writing another journal entry when he heard footsteps entering his room. He lifted his head, expecting to see Kurt, but his eyes widened when an unexpected figure stepped into the room.

"Hello Blaine."

All the air in Blaine's lungs quickly rushed out and he found himself sitting in the wheelchair dumbly, completely unable to compose a reply.

He could feel the gentle sting of tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he took in the figure's gentle eyes and friendly smile.

_Abby_.

The heavyset Latina woman stepped carefully into the room carrying a square white box.

Instantly, the heavenly aroma of freshly baked goodies filled the room. Blaine felt his mouth begin to water and his stomach released a hungry growl.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?" The woman addressed the boy in the wheelchair. "Are you feeling better?"

Blaine was stunned.

_How did she…?_

"Kurt called me this morning." She added, immediately answering Blaine's unasked question. "He said that you were going to be released this morning so I thought I'd drop in for a visit before you left."

When he didn't answer, Abby set the box down on the counter next to the door and stepped closer to Blaine.

"Is it okay if I come give you a hug?"

Blaine's heart warmed at the thought.

He nodded.

Abby slowly crept closer to Blaine until she was within an arms distance, and she knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Oh, sweetheart." She said soothingly. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

She reached her arms up and carefully pulled Blaine into a tight embrace, carefully as not to jostle his left shoulder, which remained in its sling.

"I've been so worried about you, Blaine." She whispered softly into his ear. Her left hand found the back of his head and she tangled her fingers in his unkempt curls soothingly.

Blaine nestled his face into the crook of Abby's neck during their embrace. He inhaled deeply, filling his senses with delicious flavours of cinnamon, fresh baked bread and… just… _Abby_.

He never realized how much he'd missed her.

Abby pulled back from the hug after several more seconds and inspected Blaine's atypical unruly appearance. As hard as she tried, she couldn't prevent the look of pity and sadness that crossed her face when she took in the light bruises and cuts on the boy's face.

_If they're this visible now, how bad had they been before?_

A chill raced up her spine when she considered what kind of damage was present under his hospital gown.

_Oh, my sweet Blaine, how did we let this happen?_

She placed her hands on either side of the boy's face.

"Are you in pain?"

Images and memories from his failed attempt at walking instantly plagued his mind but Blaine shook his head.

Abby hadn't missed the hesitation.

Her boy was hurting.

She was just about to open her mouth to argue when Kurt re-appeared inside the room.

"Abby?" He exclaimed. "You're… here!"

"I hope you don't mind." She smiled and turned to face him. "I just had to see him."

Kurt nodded. "Of course. It's great to see you again."

"I brought you some goodies." She stood up and nodded towards the white box on the counter. "I figured your dad might like something when he came to pick you boys up."

"You'll be his new best friend." Kurt smiled.

He reached out and took Abby in a comforting embrace.

They held each other for almost a full minute, exchanging silent thoughts and gentle, reassuring back rubs.

When they finally pulled apart, Abby's gaze lingered on Kurt for several seconds; the genuine concern in her eyes soundlessly asking about Blaine's condition.

'_He's not doing very well, is he?'_

Kurt sighed and shrugged slightly before whispering. "We had a rough night."

Abby frowned, causing several deep creases to appear in the smooth dark skin of her forehead.

"Anything I can do?"

Kurt shrugged again.

They both turned around and looked to where Blaine remained sitting in the wheelchair, unmoving and unfocused.

"Blaine, are you hungry now? Would you like some breakfast? Abby brought some treats from the bakery."

Blaine lifted his head and looked up to where Kurt stood next to him. He then moved his gaze several feet to the left where Abby stood, patiently waiting for his answer.

He wanted to speak.

He wanted more than anything to just open his mouth and let the words flow, but he couldn't.

And it broke his heart that they still didn't understand.

In the beginning, he'd spent days trying to call out for help, begging and pleading for the pain to stop.

But his desperate efforts had always been futile.

Anytime he'd been caught screaming, he'd paid the price for it.

Blaine had to close his eyes to try and purge the memories from the forefront of his brain.

_Shut up~shut up~shut up_

Then he remembered the gags.

The men had used several different measures to keep him quiet during his captivity.

The ball gag and the dirty rags had been tolerable compared to…

_No… I'm not going to think about that anymore._

_I can't._

New sounds and images popped into his mind and he clenched his eyes tighter, trying desperately to will them away.

_Hold him down!_

_Shut him up!_

_Be quiet, faggot!_

_Stop screaming!_

_I'll give you something to cry about!_

_I'll shut him up._

_Open your fucking mouth, you little bitch._

_You bite me and I will end you._

"Blaine?"

Kurt noticed that Blaine had gone rigid. His eyes were scrunched forcefully closed and his hand was clenched into a tight fist.

"Blaine, honey?" Abby moved a step closer to him, reached out her hand, and rested it on his knee.

Blaine jumped at the contact and his eyes flashed open wide in panic.

"Blaine, its just me." She said slowly. "It's Abby."

Blaine's eyes flashed between her and Kurt several times before he pressed them closed once again and nodded, desperately trying to calm his breathing through clenched teeth.

Kurt quickly moved to the opposite side of him and laid both of his hands on either side of his face.

Abby watched in awe as Kurt pressed his forehead into Blaine's.

The immediate response nearly took her breath away.

Blaine's shoulders relaxed significantly at the contact, and although she couldn't hear the quiet whispers that slipped from Kurt's lips, she knew that whatever he was telling Blaine was having a profound effect on him.

The two boys remained in that position for nearly five minutes, until Blaine's breathing had returned to normal and he was able to open his eyes.

Kurt pulled his forehead away gently, but kept his gaze solely focused on Blaine.

He didn't need to speak to Blaine; words seemed to flow silently between them as they stared deep into each other's eyes.

Abby watched with a slack jaw and wide eyes as Blaine eventually nodded slightly to Kurt, indicating that he was okay.

Kurt stood up from his position on the floor, but kept his fingers intertwined with those on Blaine's right hand.

Abby was speechless.

_What the hell just happened here?_

Blaine looked… completely _transformed_ from the terrified boy who'd been sitting in that chair only moments ago.

Kurt glanced up at the clock. It was twenty minutes to eleven. His father would be arriving soon.

"Blaine, do you want to write in your journal for a minute? I have to go and check with the nurses to see if there is anything else we need to do before we can check you out of here."

Blaine took in a stuttered breath and nodded slowly.

Kurt had made up the story about speaking with the nurses.

He had no idea what had just happened with Blaine, but whatever it was… it was bad.

Something had crossed his mind that had instantly sent him into a panicked state, and Kurt knew for a fact that it would be important for him to get the memories out of his head and onto paper.

He reached behind him to pick up the journal and the black pen that had fallen to the floor and handed it carefully to the still-trembling boy.

Blaine hesitated for a moment, as though waiting for Kurt to step away from him before he flipped through the journal and started scrawling down his entry on a blank page.

He looked so focused on what he was doing that Kurt nodded to Abby and the pair stepped out of the room into the hallway.

"Jesus, Kurt!" She exclaimed the moment they'd slipped out of Blaine's room. "What the hell was that?"

Kurt led her further down the hallway, afraid that Blaine would overhear them speaking.

"He has… _episodes_ like that every once in a while." He explained slowly. "Panic attacks."

"I figured as much, but I was talking about what you did to calm him down."

Kurt's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Abby looked exasperated.

"The forehead thing! What was that? How did you…?"

Kurt shrugged, "I dunno, it just seems to calm him down when I do that."

"Apparently!"

"He freaks out sometimes." Kurt explained quietly. "I just try and help him remember that he's safe now. That no one will hurt him anymore."

"You're so good with him, Kurt." Abby praised. "He's lucky to have you."

Kurt shrugged once more. "I'm going to go back and check on him."

"Don't you need to talk to the nurses?"

Kurt's lips turned up into a semi-grin and he shook his head.

"Nah. We'll sort that out when my dad gets here."

They walked back into the room where Blaine was still sitting quietly in the wheelchair.

Kurt noticed sadly that the journal was lying on the bed once again, with the leather cords wrapped tightly around it, keeping it securing closed.

_He really doesn't want anyone reading that._

"Blaine?" Kurt asked hesitantly. "Do you want to try walking again? Dad is on his way here to pick us up."

Blaine looked up from the floor until his sad, depressed eyes met Kurt's anxious and hopeful ones.

He shook his head slowly.

Kurt's heart ached at the look of hopelessness behind Blaine's hazel eyes.

"Blaine, it's important that you try. The nurses wanted to make sure you're okay to be released."

Blaine ignored him.

"I'll help you." Kurt explained. "I'll be right beside you the whole time."

Nothing.

"Blaine, I'll never let you fall."

Blaine looked up curiously.

Kurt's tone had changed.

There was a hint of conviction and confidence in his voice that hadn't been there before.

He wasn't just trying to regain his trust; he was making Blaine a promise.

A promise to take care of him.

To help him.

To never let him down.

Kurt's words hit Blaine with such force that he couldn't possibly refuse him.

_He cares about me._

_I can trust him._

Blaine gulped audibly before reaching his hand out to Kurt, looking directly into his eyes and nodding.

"I-I'm ready."

Abby watched from several feet away as Kurt moved in next to Blaine's side and took his hand. He reached his other arm around Blaine's back, providing even more support.

Blaine hesitantly moved his feet off the footrests of the wheelchair until he felt his toes connect with the cool floor once again.

He inched his way carefully to the edge of the seat before looking up at Kurt, who gave him an encouraging nod.

Blaine closed his eyes, fully anticipating the burning pain that would follow his next action, and with Kurt's careful assistance, he slowly raised himself up onto his feet.

As expected, the dull ache returned the moment he changed positions, but Blaine was ready for it this time and began breathing deeply through his nose to conquer it before it had a chance to grow stronger.

"That's it, Blaine." Kurt said softly from beside him. "You're doing great."

After taking a moment to adjust, Blaine carefully lifted his left foot and moved it several inches forward.

The pain spiked again and he instinctively tensed up, and squeezed Kurt's hand a little tighter.

"I've got you, Blaine." Kurt whispered. "I've got you."

Blaine nodded, breathing through the discomfort until the sharp pain had ebbed away into the dull ache once again.

_Kurt won't let me fall._

_I trust him._

He shifted his weight onto his left foot and slowly brought the toes on his right parallel to it.

The pain wasn't as bad this time.

The next step with his left foot caused the burning pain to shoot up his backside again and Blaine couldn't help but gasp and curl in on himself slightly.

As he was taking in deep breaths to fight though the pain, he felt a second set of hands grasp onto him from the other side.

He opened his eyes and saw Abby standing next to him, supporting him with an encouraging smile.

"You're doing so good, Blainey." She commended him with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder.

He nodded and focused hard to lift his right foot.

Another step.

And another.

Blaine's heart filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment, as he started moving further and further with each step.

_I can do this._

_They won't let me fall._

_I can do this._

The three of them eventually made it out past the doorway of Blaine's room and took several slow steps out into the hallway where they were met by two of Blaine's nurses.

"Blaine!" Patty exclaimed. "Look at you!"

Blaine felt his chest flood with even more pride when he looked up from where he'd been concentrating on carefully moving his legs with each step to be met by the wide smile of his favourite nurse.

He felt Kurt squeeze his hand encouragingly and turned to look at his friend.

Kurt's face was split with the widest smile he'd ever seen.

He looked… happy.

Blaine was filled with so much emotion that he nearly missed a step, but he felt both Kurt's and Abby's strong arms behind him, supporting him all the way.

There was no chance of him falling.

"Hey guys… what's going… Holy shit! Blaine!"

Everyone in the hallway turned to look at the source of the expletives.

Burt Hummel was standing several feet away, with wide eyes and a shocked smile.

"What are you…? H-how did you?" He stuttered.

Kurt smiled at his father's exuberance.

"Blaine decided to go for a walk before we take him home."

Blaine's eyes widened.

He'd almost forgotten.

He was going home with the Hummels today.

_Home._

The word sent shivers up his spine.

_I'm going home._

"Look at you go buddy!

Blaine returned his attention to Burt, who'd moved in closer to him and pressed a proud hand onto his shoulder.

Blaine's eyes widened, but for the first time ever, it was not due to fear.

But rather happiness.

Pride.

Accomplishment.

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand as he they stepped back into the hospital room and got him sitting back on the edge of his bed.

There was no use overdoing it and tiring the boy out.

He stood next to Blaine, cupped both of his hands onto each of Blaine's shoulders and pressed a tender kiss to his forehead.

"I'm so proud of you, Blaine."

Several cheerful tears made their way down Kurt's cheeks and Blaine lifted his hand to brush them away with his thumb.

He looked up at the teenager from his position on the bed and Kurt's heart soared when the edges of Blaine's lips turned up into a genuine smile.

Blaine's eyes were filled with emotion, complete with moisture gathering at the corners, as he looked deep into the brilliant blue orbs belonging to his best friend.

"I want you to be."

* * *

**Have you had a chance to check out "Courage"? Look for it in my list of stories on 'FanFiction' or 'Scarves and Coffee'. **

**It is written from Blaine's point of view and gives us a little insight as to what is swirling around inside that adorable little head of his.**

**Also – Check out the AWESOME Tumblr page that my sweetheart DrizzleSnow made for 'Courage'. It gives you an even more amazing view into Blaine's journal. It's much more realistic when you read it in his own handwriting! **

**DrizzleSnow has also graciously designed some BEAUTIFUL photos of Blaine's Journal as well!**

**Check it out on Tumblr: courage-journal**


	27. Of Truth - Part II

**Ch. 26 (Part I) Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – Thank you for being my inspiration. You are truly an amazing person and I love you so much! There are plenty of little tidbits coming along that are dedicated to you… I'm certain you'll know them when you read them. Thank you for yet another amazing review. Whenever I'm feeling lost or unmotivated, I read back on your messages and they always make me smile and give me the strength to carry on.

Thank you for giving me ~ **COURAGE** ~

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Awww, thank you! I appreciate that so much! I too, love how well Blaine is coming along. Like you said, there are still 'dark times' ahead, but there definitely is hope now!

**DrocoCriss** – Blaine is definitely starting to get better… it's still going to be a 'process', but he's well on his way. And he has Kurt to take care of him…

**Guest** – I'm sorry that I'm making you cry! But thank you **so much** for your compliments, and for leaving reviews on all of the chapters you read! xoxox

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Another ERMAHGERD! (Two even!) That just makes me smile! Thank you so much for your continued 'enthusiasm'. You never cease to make me smile.

**EFev** – Ha ha ha! I LOVE your review! "It should be known that I legit squawked/squealed/made inhuman noises at 2 in the morning because of this." Awesome! Just, awesome!

**Snowangellms **(Ch. 4) – Ha ha… I'm glad you're still reading! Thanks for not giving up on me!

**Anderpson** – Thanks for your review! Yes… our dear sweet little Blaine is breaking my heart as well. Stay tuned for more on Sebastian… ;)

**LaurenEP18** – Thank you for your review! Sorry I'm so slow with this update!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Awww! Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! A masterpiece!? Wow! What a compliment! *blushes*

**Msdarque** – I love Blaine's progress as well. Even though he's been through so much, he knows Kurt is there for him and he's finally beginning to open up. Hopefully we'll see more of Abby as the story progresses… ;)

**Mzjem** – Here's the next chapter! Sorry I'm so slow! Thanks for your review!

**GleekCow13** – Yes! Blaine is going home! I think you'll enjoy this next one!

**Purpleview** – Yes, they are rather oblivious, aren't they? ;) Thank you for your kind words! That means so much to me!

**Moioui** – Definitely small steps in the right direction! I'm glad you are enjoying the sister project "Courage" as well… I've been having a blast with it as well!

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I am SOOOO sorry for how long this took to update! I don't even have any cool excuses… Life just kinda got in the way a little bit and I was hard-pressed to find the time to write. **

**I do want to send out a special THANK YOU to DrizzleSnow for constantly keeping me motivated to continue writing! I'd be lost without you! **

**Anyways… I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! As my gift to all of you… here is a MASSIVE chapter!**

**ENJOY!**

**XOXO**

**-RH**

******~ Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**

* * *

Find me on Twitter: **Ryleigh_Hayle**

Or on Tumblr: **RyleighHayle**

I would love for you to add me and help me share my stories!

**Check out Blaine's journal on Tumblr: Courage-Journal to see the journal entries, texts, photos and lots more!**

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter may contain depictions of violence, coarse language and non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 26 Part II

"Blaine? We're home now."

Kurt leaned down and spoke softly, while gently smoothing the unruly dark curls that dangled loosely above Blaine's left ear.

It broke his heart to see his friend laying on the car seat next to him, curled into a ball with his knees pulled into his chest and his eyes tightly closed.

It didn't take a doctor to see that Blaine was in an incredible amount of pain.

As hard as the boy had tried to hide it, Kurt had felt the fingers on Blaine's right hand dig harshly into his own every time the car slid over another pothole in the road. Several times the bumps were bad enough that Blaine couldn't prevent the pain-filled gasps and whimpers that slipped through his clenched teeth and pursed lips.

The nurses at the hospital had predicted this outcome, and had insisted that Blaine take a dose of his pain medicine before they started their journey home but he had flat out refused.

As much as it saddened Kurt to see Blaine in such a horrific state, he could understand why he would do this to himself.

He was still incredibly paranoid about what drugs were being injected into his system.

Kurt sighed as he ran a thumb over Blaine's cheekbone, which was striped with salty tear tracks.

_Oh Blaine, what did they do to you?_

"Blaine? Can you hear me?"

Blaine was breathing in sharp, pained gasps and still refused to open his clenched eyes.

Kurt looked up as his father climbed out of the front seat and walked around to open up the rear car door.

Instantly, a wave of cold air pooled into the cab of the vehicle, sending a shiver snaking up Kurt's spine.

He shuddered slightly.

_It's getting colder outside._

He leaned back over Blaine's trembling form and squeezed his hand.

"Blaine, we're home now. It's okay. We don't have to drive anymore."

Another torrent of pain screamed through Blaine's body and he whimpered into the blankets that surrounded him.

Even though the vehicle was no longer moving, his pain had reached a crescendo.

Blaine couldn't continue to pretend to be strong anymore.

He clenched his hand so hard that Kurt could feel the capillaries in the alabaster skin of his own hand burst under the added compression.

There would be bruises, but he didn't care.

All he wanted to do was wrap this boy securely in his arms and take him inside, where it was warm, soft, and safe.

"Blaine, we have to move you to get you inside the house now." Burt explained from where he stood outside the car.

He too could see the immense amount of pain that Blaine was undoubtedly in and he cursed himself for allowing the boy to leave the hospital without having taken the painkillers.

He was supposed to be watching out for this kid now, acting as his guardian of sorts.

Burt couldn't help but think that he was off to a rocky start.

Blaine needed direction. It was obvious that he had been left to fend for himself for far too long already, and that needed to change.

But Burt was hesitant to try and convince Blaine to do anything that he didn't feel comfortable enough to do on his own.

He'd been through enough of that already too.

It was important to allow him to be in control right now.

"Blaine?" He repeated, after he'd received no response. "Buddy, I know you're hurting but we have to get you inside."

Nothing.

Burt looked at his son, who was sitting with Blaine's head held gently in his lap, and had tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

It was like watching Elizabeth cry.

He'd hated it when Elizabeth had cried.

_Those beautiful blue eyes should never look so sad. _

"Kurt, I need you to go get Finn."

Kurt's eyes instantly narrowed as he looked up at his father in confusion.

"Wha-why?"

"Just go, Kurt." His father replied sternly. Then he saw the concerned look on Kurt's face and added, "Please?"

For a brief moment, Kurt looked as though he was going to challenge his father's request but the look of concern in Burt's eyes made him reconsider.

He nodded sadly, and returned his gaze to Blaine, who'd remained curled into himself, completely unaware of his surroundings.

However, as soon as Kurt lifted Blaine's head, just enough for him to slip out from underneath him, the boy's honey-hazel eyes flashed open in alarm.

Blaine didn't even need to speak to express his concern; it was written all over his face.

_Please don't leave me._

"Shhh… It's okay, Blaine." Kurt whispered, sitting back on the seat next to him. "I'll be right back, alright?"

Blaine's face broke into a devastating grimace and tears pooled down his cheeks once again.

"P-please don't…"

Kurt swallowed the lump of sadness in his throat and wiped away his own tears. "I'm going to get Finn. He's going to help us get you into the house, okay?"

Blaine shook his head desperately.

"I c-can't." He sobbed. "It h-hurts too much."

"I know, sweetheart. I know." Kurt replied, placing a gentle kiss to Blaine's trembling forehead. "But we have to get you inside."

Kurt forced himself to maintain eye contact with Blaine for several seconds, silently encapsulating him with a feeling of total trust.

"I'll be right back, okay?" He tried to make his voice sound strong and confident.

He failed.

"I promise." He added weakly.

Blaine closed his eyes for a moment, as though trying desperately to cling to that sensation of trust and honesty before he re-opened them and nodded.

_I trust you._

Kurt smiled sadly and placed another soft kiss above Blaine's left eye before he climbed out of the car and ran towards the house.

Burt couldn't help but shake his head at the exchange.

_The connection that these boys share is astounding._

He retuned his attention to the ailing boy in front of him and his facial expressions hardened instantly.

Even within the few seconds that Kurt had been gone, it was as though Blaine had completely lost the rest of his strength and composure.

He was breathing erratically in pained gasps and grunts and the dark features of his face were scrunched tightly in obvious distress.

It was as though he let down the walls he'd held up to protect Kurt from sharing his pain.

"Hey buddy." Burt said softly, leaning further into the car. "He's gonna be right back, okay?"

Burt looked up towards the house, silently praying to see his son returning with the bulky quarterback.

Nothing.

He considered calling Carole out to tend to Blaine, but realized that there was little they could do until they got him inside.

Blaine's agonizing groans grew louder, causing pangs of sadness and helplessness to weave themselves into and throughout Burt's chest.

He leaned over the boy and placed his large callused hand next to where Blaine's fingers remained clenched tightly onto the frayed edge of one of the many blankets that he was wrapped up in.

"You can… uh… hold my hand if you want to." Burt stammered.

Blaine shook his head sharply between pained gasps.

Burt grimaced, wishing there was more he could do.

"I know they're not soft like Kurt's." Burt said honestly. "Mainly from working in the garage and all."

_Try to take his mind off the pain._

"Plus he uses all of those ridiculous creams."

There wasn't even a twitch at the corners of Blaine's lips at Burt's intended humour.

Instead, the boy reached up with trembling fingers and pulled the heavy blanket further under his chin.

The movement sent a new wave of pain surging through Blaine's body; his eyes shot open once again and a deafening scream seeped past his chapped lips.

Blaine clenched his fingers together in a tight fist, while trying to regain control of his breathing. Even the fingers of his left hand, while still secured snugly in its sling, were squeezed tightly together.

Just when Burt was about to pull his hand away from Blaine, the boy reached out and desperately grabbed it firmly in his fingers.

Burt, albeit slightly surprised, felt a wave of relief wash over him.

He squeezed his fingers gently against Blaine's reassuringly.

"That's it, buddy. Just hang in there, okay? Kurt will be back soon."

Burt's eyes widened as Blaine's grasp on his hand tightened significantly. His much smaller fingers were gripping onto Burt's hand so firmly that they'd turned completely white and were shaking violently.

Burt brought his free hand up and pushed the curls out of Blaine's face with a delicate touch as he'd seen both Kurt and Carole do in the past.

"It's okay Blaine. It's gonna be okay."

He wasn't sure if his words were meant to convince Blaine or himself.

The teenager began taking deep, exaggerated breaths in through his nose before allowing the air to slip out through his clenched teeth.

He repeated this cyclic breathing process for several minutes until Burt was comforted to see that his shoulders began to relax slightly.

Kurt arrived back at the car seconds later, with Finn in tow.

He propelled himself back inside the car next to Blaine and his heart both swelled and cracked slightly when he took in the view before him.

Blaine was gripping onto his father's hand as though it was his lifeline.

Burt, obviously relieved to have Kurt back to take over, released a sigh of relief and pried Blaine's tense fingers from his hand so Kurt could resume his rightful position.

As Burt stood up outside of the car with a groan, a confused looking Finn Hudson met his eyes.

"Uh… Kurt said you might need my help?"

"Yeah…" Burt started. His voice sounded weak and emotional, so he cleared his throat and began again.

"Yeah. Can you carry Blaine into the house? You've got the longest reach and I think you'll be able to do it the easiest." Burt explained. "We don't want to hurt him any more than we have to."

Finn looked puzzled.

"Carry him?" He asked. "Wha-why can't he…?"

Burt sighed.

_I knew I should have had Carole sit down with him and try to better explain what's going on._

"Finn, we'll talk about it later. We just need to get him in out of the cold, okay?"

Finn nodded. "Okay, whatever you say Burt."

He leaned his long frame into the car where he saw Kurt clutching onto Blaine, who was lying on his side in obvious pain.

When Finn leaned into the car, Blaine felt the intrusion behind him and tensed up immediately. When he looked up and saw Finn only inches away from him, his face fell into a look of sadness mixed with shame and disgust.

"He's just going to help you inside, okay?" Kurt reassured, as though reading Blaine's troubled mind.

Blaine looked thoughtful for a brief moment before nodding hesitantly.

Kurt smiled, and pressed a third gentle kiss to Blaine's brow before looking over to Finn and giving him a nod, signalling him that Blaine was as ready as he'd ever be.

Finn reached one hand around Blaine's torso in attempt to roll the boy onto his back to get a better grip on him, but when Blaine shifted into this new position, his pain levels skyrocketed and he let out another agonizing scream.

Finn immediately dropped him back onto the seat and receded away from the car with wide, terrified eyes.

_What the fuck?_

Kurt meanwhile, had reached back and pulled Blaine's head into his lap and was whispering reassuring words into the hysterical teenager's ear.

"Blaine, we have to get you inside." He cried. "I'm sorry that it hurts, but we have to move you to get you out of the car."

Blaine shook his head; tears still slipping freely down his cheeks.

His lips formed around the word '_no'_, but he couldn't speak between the sobs and pained gasps.

"Blaine you have to trust me, okay? Finn isn't meaning to hurt you. But we have to get you inside."

Blaine's face filled with devastation as he looked into Kurt's eyes.

"Do you trust me?" Kurt whispered softly.

Blaine, still breathing in short, pained gasps kept Kurt's stare for another full minute before he swallowed and nodded slowly as another salty tear slipped down his cheek.

"Okay." Kurt replied. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Blaine's forehead. "I'm going to get out and be ready for you when Finn gets you out of here, okay?"

Blaine nodded.

"Deep breaths alright? I'm not going to lie to you, Blaine. This is _going_ to hurt."

Another hesitant nod.

Kurt climbed out of the car and ran around to the other side where he looked up at Finn with the best bitchface he could muster.

"If you _hurt_ him…"

Finn's eyes widened.

"_Kurt_, he's doing his best." Burt warned from somewhere beside him. "Let's just get the kid into the damn house, alright?"

Kurt nodded and peeked his head inside the car door.

"Hey. Finn is going to carry you now, okay? I need you to be brave for a few minutes."

Blaine nodded without moving to look at him.

Just as Kurt was about to pull his head out of the car, Blaine spoke in a pained whisper.

"W-where's my journal?"

Kurt smiled.

"It's on the seat next to you. I'll bring it inside, okay?"

Blaine hesitated.

"I promise to protect it. No one will look inside, alright?"

"Okay."

Kurt pressed his hand onto Blaine's knee reassuringly and stepped out of the car once again.

He nodded to Finn, who, after receiving specific instructions from Burt on how to lift Blaine, reached inside the car and carefully picked the boy up into his arms and pulled him outside the vehicle.

Blaine winced as he felt Finn's strong arms wrap around his upper torso and under his knees, but as the quarterback lifted him out of the car, the majority of the pressure was reduced off his backside and he felt almost immediate relief.

As Finn stood up outside the car with the much smaller teen held securely in his arms, he looked down at Blaine, who was trying his hardest to avoid his gaze.

"I-I'm sorry about before Blaine, I-I didn't know…"

Blaine frowned and continued to look away.

Burt, seeing the awkward exchange, stepped in and patted Finn on the shoulder.

"Let's get him inside."

Kurt reached into the car and grabbed Blaine's journal before rushing up the snow-covered lawn to open the door in time for Finn and Blaine.

After the gangly quarterback sidestepped into the house, careful not to bang Blaine's head on the doorframe, he stopped on the floor mat in front of the door and hesitated.

Carole appeared out of nowhere and rushed to his side. She'd apparently been watching the scene unfold from the kitchen window.

"Don't worry about your boots Finn, just bring him in… quickly."

Finn hesitated as he walked into the foyer.

"W-where do I put him?"

Carole guided him into the living room.

"Just lay him on the couch for now. On his side. I'm going to get him some warm blankets."

Finn carried Blaine in and set him on the couch carefully, while Kurt and Burt quickly kicked off their boots in the front entrance.

After he'd laid Blaine on the couch, Finn stood back awkwardly, unknowing what to do or say next.

Kurt rushed in then, and skipped between Finn and the couch, kneeling down next to Blaine's side and helping him adjust into a position of comfort.

Blaine had returned to his initial state of short, ineffective gasps and once again, had his eyes squeezed shut in pain.

Carole hurried in carrying several heavy quilts, which she opened up and laid on top of Blaine before retreating back to the kitchen with Finn.

"Thank you." Burt acknowledged, giving Finn another pat on his shoulder.

Finn nodded, and started to walk towards the stairs leading to his bedroom.

"Honey, I'll come down and talk to you in a little bit, once we get Blaine settled in, okay?" Carole said softly while rummaging through the bags of Blaine's medications that Burt had set on the kitchen counter.

Finn shrugged and continued his way to the basement, completely confused about what had just transpired.

Carole pulled the bottle of pain medication from one of the white pouches and filled a glass with water. She was just about to re-enter the living room when Burt stopped her.

"Just wait." He said softly.

"But… He needs these pain pills, Burt. He's in an awful amount of pain right now."

Burt smiled sadly and pressed a kiss to Carole's cheek.

"Kurt's with him now. He'll calm him down first."

"What do you mean? How…?"

"Just watch." Burt said with a knowing grin and a sparkle in his eyes.

Carole turned to see Kurt kneeling next to Blaine on the couch.

Blaine had rolled back onto his right side and had the palm of his hand pressed firmly into his forehead, grasping desperately onto his own curls. He was breathing so shallowly and painfully that Carole was certain he was hyperventilating.

Kurt reached up from where he was kneeling on the carpet next to him, and pulled Blaine's hand away from his face, holding it firmly in his own.

Kurt started taking exaggerated breaths in time with Blaine's, as though coaching him into controlling his own respirations.

After several seconds, Carole was shocked to see that Blaine had slowed his breathing and looked significantly more relaxed.

Carole couldn't hear what Kurt was whispering to Blaine, but it sounded like, _'I need you to open your eyes and look at me.'_

When Blaine's eyes slowly slid open, he looked deep into Kurt's blue orbs for several seconds before his face fell into a sad frown and he began to sob.

Kurt reached up with his free hand and brushed a loose curl away from Blaine's forehead before he leaned in and pressed his own face so close to Blaine's that their noses were almost touching.

Kurt began to whisper, so softly now that Carole couldn't make out any of the words, but she suddenly had this overwhelming feeling that she was imposing on something very intimate.

She turned towards Burt with wide eyes, but couldn't possibly find the words to portray her scattered thoughts.

Burt sighed, and reached his own arms around her and pulled Carole in close for a loving embrace.

"I know." He whispered eloquently, before placing a kiss to the top of her head. "I can't explain it either."

* * *

Burt and Carole stood in the doorway to the living room for several more minutes, watching peacefully as Kurt maintained his contact with Blaine.

The boy had seemingly transformed before their eyes.

Gone was the frail little boy who'd been riddled with pain and breathing in short, ragged gasps only minutes ago. Replaced by Blaine Anderson, lying quietly and peacefully on the couch, though still desperately holding onto Kurt's hand.

Kurt had positioned himself on the couch and was now gently supporting Blaine's head in his lap, gently rubbing his free hand over the top of his shoulder in smooth, comforting circles.

Carole stepped into the living room and padded over to the couch slowly.

She noticed that Blaine's eyes had drifted closed so instead, she made eye contact with Kurt.

The boy looked exhausted.

She smiled gently when Kurt's pale blue eyes finally looked up and met her own.

"How is he?"

Kurt's face fell into concerned frown. But instead of speaking, he merely shook his head slowly.

_Not good._

Carole nodded gently before kneeling down on the carpet in front of Blaine.

"Blaine, sweetheart?" She whispered softly. "Can you hear me?"

Blaine's tired eyes slipped open dazedly.

When he was finally able to focus on the woman's face in front of him, his caramel eyes softened instantly.

_Carole_.

"Hi, sweetie." Carole smiled. "Are you feeling better now?"

Blaine took several breaths before opening his mouth to speak. His lips fumbled slightly, as though trying to remember how to form the words his brain had chosen, but no sound came out. Instead, he gulped and nodded silently.

Carole brought her hand up and cupped his cheek gently and carefully, as not to alarm him.

"Honey, I know you don't like to take your pain medicine, but I think it's a good idea right now. You need to rest." She explained softly. "You've had a hard morning and that trip home took a lot out of you."

She was expecting Blaine to furrow his eyebrows and shake his head.

But he didn't.

Instead, the exhausted teenager looked at her with sad eyes and nodded.

From across the room, Burt Hummel watched as Carole gently lifted Blaine into a position where she was able to set the pills onto his tongue and help him sip water from a straw.

Burt sighed sadly.

_Blaine must be really hurting if he was actually in favour of taking the pain pills._

_This poor kid. _

_I wish there was something more I could do for him._

After he'd taken a second tiny sip of the water, Blaine laid his head back down into Kurt's lap and blew out a relieved sigh.

He returned his gaze to Carole, who still remained at his side. His eyes were round and soft, and filled with emotion.

He didn't have to speak; she knew exactly what he was trying to tell her.

"You're welcome sweetheart." She said with a sad smile. "Now, try and get some rest, okay?"

Blaine nodded silently and closed his eyes, relaxing his body into the soft cushions of the couch.

Kurt resumed painting his gentle patterns onto the back of Blaine's shoulder and once again sought out Blaine's fingers, intertwining them within his own.

As Carole stood up from the floor, she looked to Kurt and nodded.

_You did good._

Kurt smiled and nodded in return; there was still no need for words.

_Thank you, Carole._

Carole picked up the glass of water and the amber bottle of Blaine's medication from the coffee table, but before she stepped away from the couch, she leaned into the already sleeping boy and pressed a loving kiss to the top of his head.

"Welcome home, Blaine."

* * *

Blaine awoke several hours later to a tantalizing aroma tickling his taste buds.

He traced his tongue over his lips as he tried to pry open his sleep-filled eyes. The smell was making his mouth water, and his stomach grumbled as he tried to rouse himself from his slumber.

When he was finally able to crack open his eyes, he was met by an unfamiliar setting.

His eyes shot open and he looked around, desperate to re-orientate himself.

_Where am I?_

A sudden overwhelming feeling of panic set in as he realized that he was not in his dorm room at Dalton, as he had been in his dreams.

Nor was he at Sebastian's apartment.

Or Abby's Bakery.

And judging by the amount of light and warmth in the room, he was not back in his motel room either.

_Thank god._

He sat up slightly and looked around the room, trying to put together the pieces, when suddenly everything fell into place.

The motel room.

The cage.

The hospital.

_I am still in the hospital?_

Blaine felt the slightest of movements next to him and turned his body to see a tall, pale boy sitting behind him, with his eyes closed, resting peacefully.

_Kurt_.

The remainder of the missing puzzle pieces finally slipped into place as Blaine looked around once again.

This time, the living room looked slightly less unfamiliar.

He'd been here once before.

He recognized the walls and decorations, although they now appeared slightly different, as though a woman's touch had been added.

The photos of Kurt remained on the walls, only now there were a few of an awkward looking Finn Hudson next to them.

The piano that was only partially hidden underneath the sheet in the opposite corner of the living room remained seemingly untouched.

_I'm at Kurt's house._

_They brought me home with them like they said they were going to._

_**Home**__._

The single word sent a gentle chill up Blaine's spine.

After he'd stretched out his sleepy legs and stifled a yawn, Blaine shifted back into his previous position on the couch, slowly as not to disturb the sleeping teenager behind him.

He reached into the pocket of his sweatpants and pulled out his iPhone, and pressed the home button so the phone illuminated, informing him it was just after 5:30pm.

There was another text from Nick.

Blaine's former classmate had texted him the day before but Blaine hadn't felt like returning the message at the time.

He slid open the locking mechanism on the phone, opened the message and sent a quick reply.

The pair exchanged a few messages before Blaine returned the phone to his pocket and nestled back into the couch.

He turned his body slightly and carefully as not to disrupt Kurt, until he was laying in a comfortable enough position, looking upwards at the dozing teenager next to him.

Kurt was propped up on the couch with his head leaned back above the fluffy cushions, causing the porcelain skin of his neck to be pulled taut over the delicate structure of his throat. Blaine couldn't help but stare at the way the cartilage of Kurt's Adam's apple protruded from his neck, and watched as it bobbed just slightly with every subtle breath he took.

Soft, gentle snores emanated from between his thin pink lips, leaving only a whisper of breath to escape each time his chest relaxed.

Blaine's eyes continued to climb upward until they came to rest on the adorable, slightly upturned nose and the long and beautiful eyelashes splayed out from the ends of Kurt's lightly closed eyelids.

He was fully aware of what immeasurable beauty remained temporarily hidden behind those closed eyelids.

Endless pools of blues, greys, greens and sparkling silvers with only the most subtle flecks of gold.

Endless pools of emotion, comfort, trust and love.

Blaine sighed, as his own eyes soaked up every inch of Kurt's flawless skin. He felt the tips of his fingers twitch just slightly, begging his brain to permit them to reach up and touch the unfaultable elegance that was Kurt's face.

_A real-life Sleeping Beauty._

Blaine allowed his frozen and damaged heart to warm slightly as his eyes lingered on Kurt's sleeping form for several more minutes.

_He looks so peaceful._

_Comfortable._

_Beautiful._

Blaine stayed staring at Kurt, unapologetically watching him sleep for several minutes, trying to remain as still as he could until his eyes wandered and he began to fidget. He couldn't help but chew on his bottom lip when his toes began to wiggle involuntarily.

He had to pee.

Several more minutes passed and Blaine became more and more desperate. He tried to take his mind off of it by thinking of other things, but for the most part, the images and memories that popped into his head were worse than anything.

He considered reaching for his journal that sat on the end of the coffee table next to him but he didn't want to risk waking Kurt while moving to pick it up.

_He's been so busy taking care of me that he must be exhausted. _

_I have to let him sleep._

Blaine closed his eyes and tried mentally singing some of the songs from Kurt's playlists but the lyrics all eventually turned into silent and desperate pleas for the bathroom.

_Don't think about it._

_Don't think about it._

_Don't think about it._

_Shit. I thought about it._

Blaine was to the point now where he thought his bladder would explode if he didn't relieve himself soon.

He glanced back up to where Kurt remained sleeping, secretly hoping that the other teen would hear his unspoken pleas for help and open his eyes.

When Kurt's state of consciousness remained unchanged, Blaine decided to take matters into his own hands.

He was truly desperate.

Blaine held his breath and sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth as he gingerly lifted his legs up off the couch and pivoted his feet towards the floor.

He moved at a snail's pace, trying desperately not to jostle Kurt, but when it came to the point of him lifting his head out of Kurt's lap, he knew he was fighting a lost battle.

Kurt began to stir before the weight of Blaine's shoulders was even lifted from his legs.

He awoke with a quick intake of breath and his hands instinctively reached out to find Blaine.

Blaine, now realizing that his plan had failed, continued his efforts to sit up before turning to face the still sleepy looking Kurt.

His hair was slightly tousled, a sight not familiar to Blaine. Kurt's hair was almost always expertly coiffed, though Blaine had no idea how he managed to keep it that way.

He offered Kurt an apologetic look as the other teen struggled to regain his alertness.

"Sorry." Blaine whispered. His neck retracted slightly towards his shoulders and his eyes were wide and remorseful.

Even with a foggy brain, Kurt couldn't help but notice that Blaine looked like a puppy that had just chewed the newspaper.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked, his voice sounding even sleepier than his eyes looked.

Blaine winced, feeling even worse for waking him from his obviously much-needed slumber.

He cursed his inability to take care of himself.

"I have to use the bathroom." He admitted bashfully.

Kurt's eyes crinkled as his face fell into a lazy smile.

"Why didn't you just wake me up?"

Blaine looked at him doubtfully.

"I did."

Kurt chuckled. "I meant _earlier_. I wouldn't have minded."

Blaine shrugged.

Kurt shook his head playfully as he stretched out the sore muscles in his neck and back and stood up from the couch.

"Come on… I'll help you up."

Blaine sighed, wishing once again that he didn't have to appear so helpless.

He reached his hands up and connected them with Kurt's and together, he pulled himself carefully to his feet.

Once standing, Kurt placed a gentle hand on Blaine's abdomen and slung his other arm around his torso.

"How are you doing?" He asked. "Feeling okay?"

Blaine sucked in in exaggerated breath, as the familiar dull ache made itself known once again.

He closed his eyes and nodded a few times before opening them once again and looking at Kurt.

"I'm okay."

Kurt kept his eyes fixed on Blaine's watching carefully for any signs of untruthfulness.

When he determined that Blaine was telling the truth, he nodded and took a tiny step, encouraging Blaine to step alongside him.

The first few steps were the hardest, as Blaine's taut muscles fought the movement, but soon he found himself able to take longer strides and cover more ground without escalating the pain.

They carefully stepped through the living room, side-by-side until they reached the hallway leading towards the bathroom. It was too narrow for them to walk shoulder-to-shoulder, so Kurt removed his arm from around Blaine and stepped in front of him, still facing him, but now walking backwards and holding Blaine gently around his waist.

"Are you okay like this?"

Blaine nodded, not moving his gaze from where it remained on his feet. He was focusing extremely hard on taking each calculated step, trying desperately to get to the bathroom as quickly as possible.

"It's not hurting as much now." He replied, and Kurt could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

It was still obviously taking a lot out of him.

They arrived at the bathroom door minutes later and Blaine finally looked up from the floor.

"D-do you… uh… mind waiting out here?" He stuttered, a light flush reaching around his neck.

Kurt's eyes widened slightly.

He was immeasurably happy to hear that Blaine was becoming more and more comfortable speaking to him.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Kurt asked. "I don't want you to fall."

The coloration deepened on Blaine's neck and spread towards his face.

"I'll be okay." He replied bashfully.

Kurt nodded and stepped out from his place inside the bathroom door.

"Just… shout if you need me, okay?" He said sincerely. "I'll be right outside the door."

Blaine sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and nodded before reaching his hand out and sliding it smoothly along the wall as he stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door behind him with a click.

After several minutes of agonizing silence, Kurt pressed himself closer to the outside of the bathroom door, listening for any indication that Blaine might need assistance.

Nothing.

Not a sound.

He debated on calling out to Blaine and asking him if he was okay, but refrained.

_Give him time._

_He needs to do this for himself._

Seconds later, the unmistakeable sound of a toilet flushing startled him and he jumped away from the door with a start.

He heard Blaine take a few staggered steps towards the sink before the sound of water rushing out of the faucet filled the air.

After a few tiny squeaks of the towel holder swinging back and forth, Kurt heard Blaine grasp the door handle and watched as he swung it open and cautiously sidestepped around it.

When their eyes met, Kurt noticed several new emotions filling Blaine's hazel orbs.

_Relief._

_Gratitude._

_Pride._

But he also noticed how exhausted Blaine looked suddenly.

Kurt reached his hand towards him, and offered him a wide smile.

"Can I help you back to the living room?"

Blaine sighed with a half smile and nodded before reaching out to accept Kurt's hand.

"Thank you."

Kurt noticed that Blaine leaned just slightly more onto him on the journey back to the living room.

Such a small and seemingly insignificant endeavour had obviously taken quite a toll on the battered boy walking next to him.

As they approached the entrance to the living room, Kurt stopped and turned towards Blaine.

"Would you like to sit in the kitchen or go back to the couch?"

Blaine thought for a moment but simply shrugged non-committedly.

Kurt smiled and nodded his head towards the living room.

"Let's go back to the couch. It's much softer."

Blaine nodded, silently thankful for Kurt's decision.

As they made their way towards the living room, Carole suddenly popped out of the kitchen.

"Hello boys!" She exclaimed cheerfully. "Glad to see you up and about, Blaine."

They both smiled and nodded at Carole's enthusiasm and Blaine offered her a grateful nod.

"I set up a couple of TV trays in the living room for you. I'll bring in some soup once you're settled back in."

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other and Kurt couldn't help but giggle when Blaine's stomach chose that exact moment to let out a hungry grumble.

"I wondered what smelled so good." Kurt grinned.

They walked back into the living room slowly, where Kurt helped Blaine into a seated position on the couch.

Blaine let out an exhausted sigh as Kurt plopped down next to him.

He turned to face to Kurt and gave him an appreciative smile.

"Thank you." He whispered. "I _really_ needed that."

"Next time don't be afraid to ask for help sooner, Blaine." Kurt chuckled. "I really don't mind."

Blaine smiled a full smile and nodded.

They sat in a comfortable silence for less than a minute before Carole entered the living room carrying a tray filled with two steaming bowls of homemade chicken soup and a plate stacked high with whole grain toast.

When she finished handing each of the boys their meal, she looked down at Blaine.

"Are you feeling better, honey?" She asked. "You finally had a good rest."

Blaine nodded.

"That's great to hear." She smiled warmly. "Enjoy your soup. I'll pop back in a little while to collect your dishes, okay?"

Blaine nodded again, but this time Carole didn't miss the look on his face.

He wanted to say something further.

She waited patiently for several seconds, though casually enough not to force him into speaking the words if he wasn't completely ready to.

Blaine's forehead creased slightly and he closed his eyes as he struggled to make his brain and lips work in synchronicity.

Carole sensed his frustration and was about to intercede when she noticed Kurt take Blaine's hand and give his fingers an encouraging squeeze.

Blaine reciprocated the gesture before swallowing and taking an exaggerated breath.

He lifted his eyes to meet Carole's warm green ones and his breath stuttered slightly as he finally found the words he'd been searching for.

"T-thank you, Carole."

Carole's heart soared at Blaine's gallant effort and her eyes filled with proud tears.

"You're _so_ welcome, sweetheart." She said happily, pressing a kiss to Blaine's forehead.

She took a moment to stare proudly at the pair of boys in front of her before she turned around and walked back towards the kitchen.

Kurt and Blaine started in on their soup then, Kurt diving in hungrily and Blaine taking only a few small bites.

Kurt noticed Blaine's hesitation and turned to him.

"Don't you like it?"

Blaine's eyes widened and a look of obvious guilt crossed his face.

"No… I-I mean… yes." He stumbled. "It's _really_ good."

"Then how come you're not eating it?" Kurt frowned. "You _have_ to be hungry."

"I-I'm sorry." Blaine sputtered. "I won't waste it, I swear."

Kurt was bewildered.

"Blaine, I'm not mad. _At all_." He explained, dropping his spoon and turning towards the troubled teen. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"I'm okay." Blaine shrugged. "I'm just not used to it…"

Kurt frowned. "Used to what?"

Blaine hesitated, as though he'd said too much. He spun his spoon mindlessly around his bowl and thought for several moments before choosing his words carefully and proceeding, without making eye contact with Kurt.

"I haven't really… _eaten_ that much lately."

Kurt's eyes widened.

"Blaine, I…" He didn't even have a clue what to say to that.

Blaine shrugged and continued to stare into his bowl of soup. "It's not that big a deal."

Kurt could hardly believe what he'd heard. He shimmied towards Blaine and pressed a hand onto his forearm.

"Of course it's a big deal, Blaine." He said reassuringly. "Only eat what you want to, okay?"

Blaine nodded, but still found his eyes avoiding Kurt's gaze.

"And don't worry about wasting anything, okay? Dad and Carole won't be upset either. I promise."

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief and finally turned towards Kurt and nodded.

"Okay."

Kurt smiled, twisted back towards his own tray and picked up his spoon.

The pair of teens sat in a somewhat awkward silence for several minutes. The only noises audible in the living room were messy sounding as they both slurped their soup.

Kurt's lips formed a secretive smile as his mind drifted back to that evening when they'd sat in almost this exact same position eating peanut butter smothered toast.

Just as he was recalling that same memory, Blaine's voice pulled Kurt from his reverie.

"I like soup."

The noise that came from Kurt's throat was unfathomable.

It sounded like a hybrid choke/chuckle combination.

He was so busy trying to clear his obstructed airway that he didn't notice the genuine shimmer that appeared in Blaine's eyes.

"Oh my god, Blaine!" Kurt choked. "You have to stop doing that - You could have killed me!"

Blaine tried desperately to control the smile that was playing at the corners of his mouth.

He shrugged non-committedly and kept his gaze attentively fixed on the bowl of soup in front of him.

"At least you didn't snort."

* * *

The boys continued slurping away at their bowls of soup, Blaine not eating much more than a quarter of his and Kurt finishing his bowl as well as polishing off two slices of buttered toast.

He'd just set his spoon back into his now-empty bowl with yet another giggle when Burt strode into the room with a grin.

"There's that giggle we've been missing for the past few weeks!" He said happily, looking at Kurt. "Thanks for finding it, Blaine. We've missed it around here."

Kurt cheeks flushed, as he looked at his father in mock disapproval.

He knew deep down that what his father said wasn't far from the truth. Having Blaine back, even in the condition that he was currently in, was a huge weight off Kurt's shoulders.

He'd been so worried about him.

Even as Blaine lay in the hospital bed unconscious for all of those days, Kurt remained at his side, holding his hand, whispering positive thoughts and singing gentle lullabies.

Yes, he was very glad that Blaine was back safe and sound.

Kurt knew that it was going to be a long and bumpy road to recovery for the curly-haired teenager, but moving in with him and his family was undoubtedly a step in the right direction for Blaine.

Burt stepped closer to where the boys sat on the couch and flashed Blaine a friendly smile.

"Are you boys all done with dinner? Blaine, there's something I want to show you…"

Blaine's eyes widened and he turned his head to face Kurt, who sat next to him and gave him a nod and a knowing grin.

Blaine returned his eyes back to where Burt stood in front of him and nodded unsurely.

"Well… Come on, then." Burt said, nodding his head in the direction of the hallway.

Blaine pressed his palm to the top of the wobbly TV tray and pulled himself to a standing position with little more than a tiny wince. He'd just bent over to pick up his soup bowl when Carole entered the living room with the same tray as she'd carried everything in with.

"I've got it honey. Just leave your dishes." She said with a smile.

Blaine looked at her briefly, before lowering his gaze to his still almost full bowl of now-cold soup.

Carole didn't miss his hesitation.

"Is it alright if I put the rest of your soup in the refrigerator? In case you maybe want some more later?" She smiled knowingly.

She knew that Blaine would have a problem wasting his food.

He'd obviously not eaten properly while in captivity and before that, when he was living on his own, who knows how often he'd been fortunate enough to enjoy a proper meal.

Blaine looked thin. Almost gaunt.

His cheeks looked slightly hollowed and the once prominent musculature of his upper arms and chest was depleted and indistinct.

That fact, combined with his tangled mess of dark curls made him look even younger than ever.

Blaine avoided Carole's gaze as he picked up his dish and handed it to her carefully, to avoid sloshing out any soup onto the carpet below his feet.

"Thank you, Blaine." She said genuinely. "I'm glad you were able to eat something. I know you haven't had much of an appetite lately."

He looked back up, finally allowing his eyes to meet Carole's and swallowed.

"It w-was really g-good." He stuttered. "T-thank you."

Carole smiled and ran the backs of her fingers down his cheekbone gently. "Don't worry about your leftovers. I made a giant pot of this soup that even Finn couldn't finish."

Blaine, finally satisfied that he wasn't going to be in trouble, nodded and attempted a half smile.

Kurt reached over and put a hand on his forearm and nodded towards Burt.

"Let's go see what my dad is all excited about."

They went down the same hallway, this time with Blaine walking almost fully under his own steam. There were a couple of moments where he faltered slightly, but Kurt was right there beside him to offer him an arm for support.

Blaine was thankful for Kurt's almost constant vigilance.

'_I'll never let you fall.'_

Blaine was surprised to see Burt stop in front of a closed door directly across from the door leading into the bathroom.

A wide grin spread across Burt's weathered face as he turned the knob and opened the door.

"I'm sorry it's kind of small - up until a couple of days ago, it was only used for storage." He said, stepping into the room. "It used to be Elizabeth's sewing room."

Blaine's triangular eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

_Huh_?

He and Kurt stepped towards the doorway and when Blaine was finally able to see what was inside the room, his breath caught and he felt his knees grow slightly weak.

It was a bedroom.

A real bedroom.

The walls of the room were covered in dark green vertically striped wallpaper, which made the room appear slightly smaller, but added a touch of comfort at the same time.

There was a twin-sized bed along the opposite wall with red and white plaid-stripped sheets and a comfortable looking heavy mink blanket on top of it with two gorgeous wolves printed into the material. Two large fluffy pillows lay near the head of the bed in light grey pillowcases next to a soft looking sand-coloured cushioned headboard.

Next to the bed was a small nightstand and on top of it, stood a tall blue table lamp with a white shade, a small silver clock with green digital numbers and a black iPod charging dock with matching speakers. Next to that stood a tall glass vase containing a bouquet of gorgeously fresh looking lilies whose strong florid scent filled the room. A tall floor lamp sat on the opposite side of the bed, which was already turned on, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Next to it, sat a large red leather armchair with a red and black plaid blanket hanging over its low back.

Blaine stepped further into the room with wide eyes as he looked around, noticing a large antique-looking wooden dresser on the far wall and a large square mirror hanging above it. On the top of the dresser Blaine could see a basket containing personal items; a comb, bottles of shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush, deodorant and the rest of the supplies Kurt had brought him to the hospital.

There was even a bottle of hair gel.

There was also a small black flat screen TV affixed to the wall facing the bed. Below it was a shelf filled with numerous DVDs and VHS videos. Blaine couldn't supress the smile that inched its way onto his face when he noticed the plethora of old Disney VHS cases on the shelf.

In the opposite corner of the room was a tall bookshelf, with an assortment of novels, magazines and even a stack of old superhero comic books. Blaine smiled once again when he saw the complete set of Harry Potter hardcovers staring back at him from the middle shelf.

Next to the bookshelf was a simple wooden desk made from dark-coloured oak. On top of the desk was a small silver desk lamp, a tray containing many different coloured pens and writing supplies and a second vase of lilies. A well-cushioned, expensive looking chair with wheels sat next to the desk.

A large bulletin board hung neatly above the desk, and contained a calendar, several candid photos of Kurt, one of Burt and Carole and even one of Finn wearing his football uniform.

But what caught Blaine's eye immediately was the collage of multi-colored letters obviously torn from different magazine pages, which spelled out the word 'courage'.

A shiver ran up Blaine's spine.

_Kurt did this for me._

He felt his breath catch once again and tears prickled at the corners of his eyes.

_They all did this for me._

Blaine never dreamed that the Hummels would let him sleep in a real bed, let alone occupy an actual bedroom during his brief stay in their home.

He figured he would just sleep on the couch for a couple of nights before heading back out on his own to figure things out.

And start over.

Blaine's lips trembled as he searched for the right words, but he was too dumbstruck to even think coherently.

Burt seemed to read Blaine's thoughts perfectly, having watched the boy look around the room in obvious astonishment.

"Blaine." He started slowly, turning to face the boy and pressing firm hands to the tops of both of his shoulders. "This is _your_ room."

Blaine's eyes widened even further at Burt's words and he couldn't help but release a shocked gasp.

"We don't just want you to be a guest here for a few days, buddy." Burt assured. "We want you to _live_ here with us. And be part of our family now."

It was too much.

Blaine suddenly felt completely overwhelmed and numerous thoughts began to swirl in his mind behind his still-unshed tears and another shiver streaked up his spine.

Kurt reached over and pulled the desk chair closer to Blaine's trembling form and assisted him in sitting down.

Blaine couldn't even fathom what had just happened.

_Family._

_They want me to be part of their family?_

_They don't even know me._

_They don't know about the things I've done._

"Blaine?" Kurt said from in front of him. "Are you okay?"

Kurt's voice sounded distant, as though he was speaking from underwater.

Blaine remained silent, staring straight ahead, seeming miles away.

_Why are they being so nice to me? _

_No one has ever been nice to me._

Dozens of incomplete thoughts swirled around Blaine's mind, clouded by both distant memories and recent nightmares.

'_Get out.'_

'_But… dad?'_

'_Get the fuck out of my house.'_

'_You're disgusting.'_

'_Your dad won't find out.'_

'_What do you mean that's all the rent money you have?'_

'_You're going to have to pay for this motel room somehow.'_

'_You know you wanted it.'_

'_Stop crying.'_

'_I'll make you feel good.'_

'_You're worthless'_

'_He'll do whatever you want him to.'_

'_Filthy little slut.'_

'_Open your eyes or I'm going to slit your fucking throat.'_

"Blaine?"

This time it was Burt who'd moved in front of Blaine and was looking into the boy's empty eyes.

"Kurt, go get Carole, please. _Now_."

The taller teen wasted no time in darting from the room and running down the hallway towards the kitchen.

"Blaine, buddy… can you hear me?"

Blaine's eyes suddenly snapped up and connected with Burt's and he shook himself visibly.

"Hey there." Burt chuckled. "Where'd you go? Are you alright?"

Blaine looked around the room, re-orientating himself to his new surroundings.

_I'm okay._

_I'm safe here._

_They won't hurt me._

He shuddered, allowed his eyes to drift closed and he clenched his fists for several seconds until he felt more composed.

When he opened his eyes again, Kurt had returned and was standing next to Burt, with Carole kneeling down in front of him.

"Blaine, honey? Are you okay?"

_Family. _

_They want me to be part of their family._

Blaine nodded unconvincingly.

"We must have overwhelmed him with all of this." Burt shrugged. "He kinda just zoned out for a bit."

Kurt's eyes remained wide and filled with concern, he'd never seen Blaine just drop off the map like that before. It had been instantaneous.

"I'm okay." Blaine said weakly.

The words were spoken with so much uncertainty that no one was sure if he was trying to convince them or himself.

"Honey, do you need a drink of water or something?" Carole asked, still obviously concerned.

Blaine shook his head.

No one really knew what to say, so the four remained silent in the room for several minutes before Kurt finally cleared his throat and broke the ice.

"What do you think of your new room?"

Blaine's head popped up and he met Kurt's eyes. He immediately noticed that they were wider than usual and still held the faintest touch of apprehension.

Blaine nodded his head and forced a weak smile to his lips.

"I-it's perfect." He stammered. "T-thank you."

Several relieved sighs filled the silence and Carole stood up from her position on the floor.

"We're glad you think so." She said warmly. "We wanted you to be on the main floor so you don't have to tackle the stairs just yet, and it's right across from the bathroom too."

"Our bedroom is right down the hall if you need anything." Burt explained. "And Kurt will be almost directly below you in the basement."

Blaine's eyes widened at Burt's last statement.

_Kurt isn't going to stay in here with me?_

He quickly tried to hide his disappointment and anxiety with a nod.

"Blaine, I have one more thing for you." Carole said stepping towards the dresser. She opened up the top drawer and pulled something out before walking back over to where Blaine remained seated on the desk chair.

She smiled and placed the item into Blaine's lap.

It was his football jersey.

It was neatly pressed and folded, proudly displaying the number '16' on the front of it.

It looked brand new.

There were no bloodstains saturated into the fabric anymore, and the few tears had been expertly repaired.

Blaine's eyes clouded over with tears and his lower lip trembled slightly.

When he finally looked up at Carole, who stood directly in front of him with a loving smile, his emotions bubbled to a climax and took over.

He stood up from the chair clumsily and threw himself into Carole's unsuspecting arms.

Instantly, upon contact, tears began to slide freely from his eyes and he shook with emotion as she clutched him tightly into her chest.

"It's okay sweetheart." Carole cooed, running her fingers through Blaine's curls. "It's going to be okay now."

Blaine continued to sob into Carole's chest for several minutes as she continued her reassuring affirmations.

When he finally pulled away from her, a feeling of warmth spread across his face and he suddenly felt rather ridiculous for having lost his composure as he had.

Blaine glanced around the room _(his room!)_ expecting to see Kurt and Burt standing next to him awkwardly, but was surprised to discover that he and Carole were now alone.

Carole immediately picked up on his insecurity and brushed away several of his tears with the back of her fingers.

"They stepped out a moment ago, Blaine." She reassured. "They thought we could use a moment of privacy."

Blaine nodded thankfully, and wiped the end of the sleeve of his sweater across his nose.

"You really weren't expecting this, were you?" Carole asked, running her fingers down his tear-stained cheekbone once again.

When Blaine sucked in a stuttered breath and shook his head, Carole's heart filled with a combination of both sadness and comfort.

_This poor boy has never been properly taken care of. _

_He's been through so much. I'm glad he finally has people to love and watch out for him_.

"Well, this is all for you." She said proudly, pressing her lips to his forehead. "And we're happy to have you live with us."

Blaine's head tilted to the side in disbelief as he heard the words spoken once again.

_They really mean it. _

_They want me to live here with them._

"T-thank you." He sobbed.

"Awww honey." Carole sighed. "You're important to us. You're an amazing boy; so brave and strong. It's our pleasure to have you stay with us."

Blaine, at a complete loss for words, just gaped at the woman in front of him.

"Now." Carole announced, breaking the silence moments later. "What do you say to a nice hot bath before bed?"

Blaine's eyes widened.

_A real bath? _

_Like… in a tub?_

Carole smiled.

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

Blaine nodded eagerly.

"Alright then." Carole said, taking the football jersey from Blaine's hands and refolding it neatly before placing it on the desk. She walked over to the dresser, opened the bottom left drawer and pulled out a new pair of blue satin pyjamas with white piping on the collar. "I think a nice bath will make you feel like a new man."

Blaine's hazel eyes twinkled slightly and his lips turned up at the corners of his mouth.

He took another long look around his new room, as though trying to commit every detail to his memory before he followed Carole back into the hallway.

Carole led Blaine into the bathroom across the hall and put the stopper in the tub before turning on the hot water.

She reached underneath the cupboard and pulled out a large jug of lavender bath liquid and poured a generous amount into the water streaming out of the faucet. Instantly, a mound of fluffy white bubbles formed on top of the water, creating a mountain of sparkling fluff.

Carole turned around and saw that Blaine's gaze was fixated on the growing pile of bubbles and smiled.

_He looks so innocent. So young._

"You haven't had a bubble bath for a long time, have you?"

Blaine's head shot up, as though he'd forgotten that Carole was still standing next to him.

He nodded sadly after he'd considered her words.

"M-my dad said that bubble baths are for little girls."

Carole's heart sunk and she had to turn away from Blaine's vulnerable gaze and bite her tongue.

_That son of a…_

"It's okay honey, don't think about that. This bath is going to be just what you need." She said despondently.

Blaine gulped but nodded slowly.

He watched as Carole reached back into the cupboard under the sink and pulled out a small white carton. The poured the contents of the carton into the bathtub before turning back towards him.

"Epsom salt." She explained. "It will help your muscles relax once you get into the water."

As soon as the tub was filled and the bubbles had come close to sneaking over the edge, Carole tested the temperature of the water before turning back to Blaine once again.

"It's ready now." She said. "Can I help you take off your sling?"

Blaine looked back at the tub before nodding.

Carole gently reached up and loosened the wide elastic strap on the rear of the sling before sliding it carefully off his shoulder.

"You should only need this for another few weeks until the muscles in your shoulder get their strength back." She explained.

Blaine winced slightly as he pulled his arm away from his body only inches. There was no real pain in his shoulder, but he could feel a tingling, almost numb sensation in his limb from weeks of disuse. He turned his hand over experimentally and was please to see that he could wiggle all of his fingers without causing any further discomfort.

Carole smiled. "See? You'll be good as new in no time."

Blaine looked back up at the older woman and smiled.

They both stood silently for several minutes before Carole asked the inevitable question.

"Blaine, honey?" She started. "Can I help you out of your clothes now?"

Although he'd been expecting the question, Blaine's eyebrows immediately furrowed, causing thin creases to form on his forehead.

Carole recognized the look that crossed the boy's face instantly.

_Shame._

"It's okay, honey. I know you feel uncomfortable. But you know that you are safe here, right?" She asked. When she got no reply from the teen, she added. "No one is going to hurt you, or judge you, okay?"

Finally, Blaine looked up from the floor and nodded, although he remained hesitant to make eye contact.

"Okay sweetheart." Carole said softly, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Let's take your sweater off first, okay?"

Blaine nodded and together, they were able to pull off the zip-up sweatshirt without causing Blaine to feel much discomfort.

Now feeling incredibly exposed, Blaine wrapped his right arm around his bare stomach self-consciously, as though trying to hide himself from Carole.

His eyes returned to the floor and he remained silent.

Carole's face scrunched up in concern, but she knew she must press on.

"Okay Blaine, is it alright if I help you take off your sweatpants too?"

The strangled breath that slipped from Blaine's lips sent pangs of empathy and sadness surging through Carole's chest.

"We'll just go slow." She quickly added. "If you are uncomfortable, you let me know, okay?"

Again, Blaine nodded without making eye contact.

Carole slowly reached forward, but before touching him, she looked up at Blaine once again and explained exactly what she'd be doing before she physically did it.

She carefully loosened the string on the pants, causing them to slacken over his bony hips.

"Are you ready?"

Blaine finally looked up into Carole's eyes and was instantly met with a feeling of comfort and trust. His lower lip quivered slightly and he could feel his knees trembling more than they had been minutes earlier.

_I can trust her._

_Carole helped me before when I was in the hospital. _

_She's seen me._

_All of me._

_And she won't hurt me._

Blaine lifted his hand from the waistband of the pants. He hadn't even realised that his fingers had been clutching at them desperately, without his consent.

He remained staring into Carole's eyes, once again seeing nothing but honesty and trust, took a deep breath, gulped down the lump that had resided in his throat, and nodded.

Carole nodded once in confirmation, and allowed the cotton pants to slip slowly and gracefully from Blaine's waist. Her eyes never left his, watching carefully for any signs of panic or discomfort.

There were none.

Blaine's entire body shuddered the moment his pants hit the cool tile floor.

He was naked.

Blaine's breath hitched as he considered his situation.

He was standing in an unfamiliar place, feeling completely exposed and vulnerable.

Completely naked.

Carole immediately noticed the increased trembling and how Blaine's breathing had become slightly irregular.

"It's okay honey." She said soothingly, her eyes never leaving his. "You're doing so well."

The trembling increased, until Blaine was shivering so much his teeth were chattering audibly.

"Let's get you into the warm water, okay?"

No reply.

Carole carefully laid her hand on the back of Blaine's shoulders and turned him to face the tub. She reached over and placed her hand on a pristine white handle that was fixed onto the side of the porcelain.

"Burt went out and got this and installed it yesterday. He figured it would make it easier for you to get in and out of the tub."

Still no response.

"This is going to make you more comfortable too, Blaine."

Carole pointed to a large white inflatable cushion that was fixed to the inside of the tub with clear plastic suction sups. It was lined with smooth velvety layer and had several contoured portions to provide extra support to his most delicate areas. The top of the cushion had a second, much smaller inflated cushion attached to it to provide a makeshift pillow.

"I also picked up a little bench seat we can set inside the tub for you to sit on when you're strong enough to have a shower, okay?"

Blaine shrugged. Barely.

"Okay, Blaine." Carole said, taking his hand. "There are a few ways we can do this."

She tried her best to protect his modesty, but his trembling was growing worse and she knew it was crucial to get him into the warmth of the tub.

"I don't think you're going to be able to step over the side of the tub, so why don't you try sitting on the edge and I'll help you swing your legs in?"

Blaine finally snapped out of his haze, picking up only bits and pieces of her suggestion, but nodded nevertheless.

Carole placed a folded towel on the edge of the tub to act as a barrier against the cold porcelain and assisted Blaine in sitting down on top of it. He winced slightly on contact, but nodded, indicating that he was ready for the next step.

While Blaine clutched onto the white handle, Carole knelt down beside him and carefully lifted his legs together, painstakingly slowly, until they were up over the side of the tub and she could help him pivot towards the inside.

The moment Blaine's toes reached the water, he gasped audibly and immediately retracted his feet.

"Is it too hot?" Carole asked worriedly.

Blaine nodded his head. "I'm sorry."

"No honey, don't be silly." She reassured. "I'll run a bit more cool water in, okay?"

Blaine nodded and watched as she reached for a large bath towel and placed it around his shoulders, wrapping him up tight to prevent further heat loss. She then turned on the cold tap and allowed it to run for several seconds while she swished her hand through the water, effectively lowering the temperature of it.

"There we go." She said, pulling the towel off Blaine's shoulders. "Let's try this again, okay?"

Blaine nodded and dipped his toes back into the water.

_Much better._

Carole helped him stand up inside the tub and pivot until he was facing the right direction, and then held his right arm as he lowered himself into a seated position on top of the cushion.

The moment Blaine's lower half connected with the warmth beneath the bubbles, the salty water caused a pained hiss to escape the lips of the trembling teen.

"I know, honey." Carole said, rubbing his back. "It's not going to feel nice for the first few seconds, but I promise it will get better."

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the white handle until his knuckles nearly matched its color. He held his breath as he lowered himself onto the softness of the cushion with an agonizing whimper.

"You're doing so good Blaine." Carole encouraged. "Almost there."

Rough staccato breaths slipped from between his tightly clenched teeth as he came to rest completely on the cushion. He kept his eyes closed for several seconds, trying desperately to recompose himself.

"Blaine, honey? Are you doing okay?"

_I'm fine. _

_I shouldn't be so upset about a stupid bath._

_It shouldn't hurt this much._

_Stop being a baby._

He nodded without opening his eyes, but felt Carole readjust the inflatable pillow that cushioned the back of his head.

"There you go sweetheart." She whispered, running her fingers across his forehead and moving several curls. "You're gonna be okay now."

Blaine focused his efforts and consciously took in several deep breaths. The sharp pain below his waist eventually subsided into a dull ache. He could feel the warmth of the water surrounding him and tried his best to relax his body into the cushion.

"That's it." He heard Carole say next to him. "Just relax sweetie."

Still with his eyes closed, Blaine took in another deep breath, filling his nostrils with a sweet mixture of lavender and chamomile.

He relaxed his hand on the white handle on the side of the tub and let his fingers slide off of it and immersed them into the water next to him.

Within seconds, he could feel the aches and pains in his body disappear and the cloudiness in his brain dissipate.

_I'm okay._

_I'm safe and no one can hurt me._

_I'm okay._

He allowed his eyes to slip open for the first time since he'd sat down and he was shocked to see that the massive mountain of bubbles was now almost completely covering his body.

Blaine kept his left arm draped over his chest, and swirled his right one through the water experimentally and could hear the gentle crackling as the billions of tiny bubbles popped around him.

"Are you doing okay, Blaine?"

He lifted his sleepy eyes from the water and looked to where Carole remained kneeling next to him on the floor of the bathroom and nodded almost immediately.

She watched as Blaine allowed his fingers to slice through the mountain of crystal white bubbles and smiled, lifting herself from the cool tile floor with a tiny groan.

"See?" She said with a grin as soon as she'd gotten back up to her feet. "With all those bubbles, there's no need to be shy. You're all covered up!"

Blaine looked back up at her, bringing an armful of bubbles up and covering his chest.

"Thank you, Carole." He said sincerely.

Carole smiled.

_Such little things mean so much to this sweet boy._

"You're very welcome, Sweetie. Do you need anything else? A glass of water?"

Blaine shook his head, grabbing yet another handful of bubbles and flicking them away with his fingers.

"I'm okay, thank you."

She nodded and smiled at the boy's apparent fixation with the bubbles.

"I'm going to leave you in peace for a little bit, okay? Make sure to holler if you need anything."

Blaine nodded. Somehow a small speck of bubbles had made it onto the middle of his forehead, but he seemed to have not noticed.

Carole smiled and turned to walk out the door.

"Carole?"

"Yes, Blaine?"

"I – uh, changed my mind. Would you mind bringing me something?"

"Of course, honey. Whatever you need."

* * *

It was more than half an hour later when Blaine was startled slightly by a faint knock on the bathroom door.

He'd been almost asleep, comfortably resting on the cushion in the bathtub with his eyes closed. The water had turned cool already once and he'd released some of it down the drain before adding more hot.

For the first time in a long time he was comfortable.

Relaxed even.

It felt great.

"Blaine?" A soft voice whispered from outside the bathroom door. "How are you doing in there?"

_Kurt_.

Blaine sat up in the tub immediately and pulled some of the still overabundant bubbles up higher, effectively covering himself once again.

Seconds later, the bathroom door creaked open a fraction of an inch.

Kurt didn't peek his head in, but Blaine could hear his voice more clearly.

"Blaine, are you okay?"

"Uh huh."

"Ummm… Can I come in?"

Blaine looked around the small bathroom and subconsciously pulled more bubbles into his lap.

"Uhhh, okay."

This time Kurt peeked his head inside the door and looked towards Blaine.

"Do you need anything?"

Blaine shook his head.

"No, thank you."

Kurt stood awkwardly in the doorway for another full minute before coming up with something else to say.

"That's… _a lot_ of bubbles."

Blaine looked back down to the bubbles piled up on his chest. There was still a large mound of them floating on top of the water down by his legs, but more than half of them had already disappeared.

The left corner of his mouth turned up into a partial grin.

"You shoulda seen 'em before."

Kurt's face, which had been filled with caution and concern instantly split into a smile.

"Yeah, Carole said that she kinda went overboard with the bubble bath."

Blaine smiled, but returned his gaze to the pile of white suds on his chest. He scooped up a pile of bubbles in his hand and stared at them for almost a full minute.

"They look so clean." Blaine uttered mindlessly.

Kurt tilted his head in wonder. He was happy to hear Blaine speaking more openly. And the fact that he was starting a conversation on his own…

_Progress_.

"They're untouched. Perfect."

Kurt's face fell slightly.

_Oh. _

_I see where this is coming from._

He looked around the bathroom and saw that a heavy layer of fog had clouded up the mirror behind the sink. Carole had evidently picked up Blaine's clothes and set them inside the hamper next to the door and the new pair of navy blue satin pyjamas that Kurt had picked out were laying folded on the counter next to a fluffy green bath towel.

The rich smell of the lavender bath liquid still emanated through the air and filled Kurt with a feeling of relaxation and comfort.

For the first time since he'd popped his head inside the bathroom door, Kurt noticed that Blaine's journal lay on top of the closed toilet seat next to the tub. A black pen sat neatly on top of it.

_When did he bring that in here?_

He turned to look back at Blaine, who was still sitting in the tub staring at the bubbles piled high on his chest.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Blaine only nodded.

Kurt frowned.

_He's so not okay._

"Would you like me to wash your back for you?" Kurt blurted.

He cursed his blatant stupidity when Blaine's head snapped towards him with wide eyes.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Kurt fumbled. "I-I shouldn't have…" He turned to walk back out of the bathroom, but before he could take half a step Blaine spoke up.

"Okay."

Kurt came to an abrupt halt. He back-stepped into the bathroom and turned to face Blaine once again, with a deep shade of pink coloring his pale cheeks.

"A-are you sure? I didn't really mean to ask that."

Blaine shrugged.

"I can't really reach very well by myself, so I'd appreciate it."

Kurt smiled and stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He grabbed a second fluffy bath towel, laid it on the floor next to the bathtub and sat down on the floor. He pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them without looking at Blaine, who remained in the tub next to him.

If not for the thick porcelain wall of the tub, they would have been sitting shoulder to shoulder.

The boys spent a few minutes in an awkward silence before Kurt decided to break the ice.

"Sorry if we overwhelmed you back there."

Blaine shrugged.

"I'm sorry I freaked out."

It was Kurt's turn to shrug.

Blaine stared at the faucet near his bubble-covered feet.

"I just couldn't believe it."

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked. "Believe what?"

Blaine kept his gaze intentionally away from his friend; he was suddenly very interested in the small clump of bubbles on his elbow.

"That anyone would ever do all of that. _For me_."

Kurt didn't know what to say.

The room that his father had prepared for Blaine was tiny at best. There was no closet, only a small south-facing window, and barely enough room to fit in the desk and the bookcase.

But still, Blaine was so awestruck that it was… _his_.

Both teens sat speechless for several minutes before a slight chill ran up Blaine's spine.

The water was cooling off again.

Blaine reached for the bar of soap on the ledge to his left, but when it slipped from his grasp and squeezed out of his hand, flying out of his fingers and landed in the water near his feet with a pronounced '_sploooush'_, Kurt couldn't help but giggle.

Blaine struggled to reach that far down and trap the slippery bar of soap with only one hand, much to Kurt's delight.

When he finally caught a hold of it, he brought it up out of the water, displaying it proudly to Kurt, as if to say, _'See? I've got this…'_

And then it slipped out of his fingers again.

The soap rocketed out of his fingers and crashed into the wall of the tub before landing heavily in the water; the splash causing several tufts of white bubbles to stick to Blaine's face.

This time Kurt let out an audible snort.

Blaine ignored the runaway bar of soap and turned to his friend with a look of mock-disapproval.

Kurt tried his best to keep a straight face, as he looked Blaine in the eye.

Epic fail.

Their stare-off lasted about three seconds before Kurt burst into a fit of laughter.

"You shoulda seen your face!" He howled.

Blaine couldn't help but smile at Kurt's amusement.

"You try doing everything with one hand." He pouted, wiping the bubbles off his face with wrinkled fingers.

Kurt raised an eyebrow at Blaine's comment, but when the other boy didn't seem to realize the weight of what he'd said, Kurt let the potential innuendo go without being spoken.

"I'm sorry." Kurt said solemnly, settling once again into his spot on the floor with his back against the wall.

Blaine looked at Kurt out of the corner of his eye. "You better be."

He lifted his drenched right hand up out of the water and flicked it towards Kurt, effectively covering the taller teen with speckles of water and gobs of white bubbles.

"Gak!" Kurt yelped. "You did _not_ just do that!"

Blaine grinned.

"You totally asked for it!"

This time it was Kurt who shot Blaine a look of disapproval, and this time, they _both_ fell into a fit of giggles.

Kurt smiled.

Blaine was laughing.

For the first time in… _weeks_… Blaine was actually laughing.

_I could listen to that angelic sound forever._

Once their giggles had subsided, Kurt looked at Blaine with a more serious face.

"Is the water getting cold? You should probably get out before you catch a chill."

Blaine nodded.

"Do you want me to wash your back now?"

Almost instantaneously, the tension in the tiny bathroom was back full-force.

Blaine glanced down to ensure that enough bubbles remained in the tub to appropriately cover himself before he looked to Kurt timidly.

"If you feel uncomfortable, I'll stop as soon as you ask me to, okay? I promise."

Blaine swallowed, picked up the bar of soap, handed it to Kurt and nodded.

"Okay."

Kurt smiled, taking the soap into his fingers. He pushed himself up to his knees and leaned over towards the cupboard under the bathroom sink. He opened the drawer and pulled out a fluffy green face cloth before leaning back over the side of the tub. He looked at Blaine for permission and once receiving a nod of approval, he ran it under the hot water from the faucet next to Blaine's feet. Next, he grabbed a small bottle of body wash from the ledge of the tub and poured a generous amount onto the cloth.

"This is one of my favourite cleansers." Kurt explained, manipulating the cloth until it was covered in fresh, citrusy-smelling lather.

Blaine inhaled the scent almost immediately, it reminded him of something fresh and cheerful.

Without saying a word, Blaine looked at Kurt one last time before leaning forward slightly, letting his back lift off the bath cushion behind him.

Kurt nodded to Blaine silently, as if reiterating _'let me know if you need me to stop', _and gently pressed the warm cloth over the back of his right shoulder.

He continued to trace slow, intricate patterns over Blaine's skin, reaching over to the far side of the tub and running the cloth down his left shoulder, carefully, as not to cause Blaine any pain.

"Is this okay?" Kurt whispered.

Blaine nodded.

Kurt's touch was so soft; almost non-existent, but still he could feel it through to his core.

His gentle grazes seemed to sooth his skin and relax his tense muscles.

Kurt brought the cloth up and gently ran it down the side of Blaine's neck and proceeding down the top of his chest.

Blaine closed his eyes.

As good as he was feeling, and as much as he wanted to simply disappear into the comfort of Kurt's touch, Burt's haunting words from that day in the hospital continued to echo through his mind.

'_They found some abnormalities Blaine.'_

'_There is a possibility that you were infected with something.'_

Blaine tried to wish the words away and allow himself to enjoy the gentle touches, but he just couldn't.

_Kurt shouldn't touch me. _

_I'm dirty, used, and damaged._

_If I'm sick, then he could get sick too. _

Kurt felt the exact moment when Blaine's body tensed up. He became rigid and his breaths were nowhere near as relaxed as they'd been.

"Blaine?" He asked cautiously. "Are you okay? Do you need me to stop?"

The internal battle which was raging between Blaine's heart and his mind continued on.

He barely heard the words that Kurt had spoken to him, but he shook his head.

_It's fine. _

_He's fine. _

_He won't touch me… down there._

"Okay." Kurt replied. "Let me know if you're uncomfortable okay?"

Blaine nodded absently.

Kurt continued on with his careful pace, gently pressing the cloth against Blaine's darkened skin. He avoided dragging it too low on Blaine's back or allowing his hand to slip too far below his chest.

The dozens of scars and bruises on Blaine's body were almost enough to make Kurt sick to his stomach. There were many more imperfections on the boy's torso than there had been before.

Tiny, circular scars were spotted throughout his chest now, and Kurt sucked in a silent breath when his brain finally concluded that they were cigarette burns.

Multiple scars on Blaine's back indicated that a whip, or something equally as horrific had struck him multiple times, leaving behind many sadistic looking mutilations that had no doubt been incredibly painful when inflicted.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kurt whispered hoarsely.

The hum of approval that slipped from Blaine's lips was enough to convince Kurt to continue.

He slid the cloth carefully down Blaine's right arm, leaving a thick trail of white soapsuds as it went.

There were bruises surrounding both of Blaine's wrists, along with several scrapes and burns.

_From the handcuffs_.

A silent tear streaked down Kurt's cheek as he recalled the various instruments he'd seen hanging on the motel room wall that night.

But the physical oddity that hit Kurt the hardest was not the bruises, cuts or scars.

It was the fact that Blaine's ribs were protruding grotesquely from his torso.

He looked sickly, far too thin to be healthy.

Even his skin color was not as gorgeously olive toned and it lacked its usual shimmer.

He looked weak.

The Blaine Anderson that Kurt had met in the hallway that first time had not looked weak.

The Blaine Anderson that was an all-star football player only months ago had not been weak.

The Blaine Anderson that had stood up to Karofsky and Azimio had _definitely_ not been weak.

This was not Blaine Anderson.

This was a small, weak little boy that had seen too much, and had been forced to do terrible things because no one in his family gave a damn about him.

Kurt sighed as he ran the cloth over Blaine's shoulder one last time.

He missed _his_ Blaine.

* * *

After draining the water, Kurt helped Blaine out of the tub and wrapped him tightly in the fluffy green towel that Carole had set out. After he'd assisted Blaine in changing into his pajamas, he led the shorter boy out of the bathroom and across the hall, where he carefully helped him sit on the edge of his new bed.

Kurt had brought with him a second towel and used it to rub dry Blaine's headful of dark curls. He gently pressed his fingers into the towel, both drying Blaine's hair and massaging his scalp at the same time.

Blaine closed his eyes and leaned into Kurt's touch once again. The feeling of Kurt's fingers massaging his scalp sent tingles down his spine and made him shiver just slightly.

When Kurt pulled the towel away, Blaine's hair was full of volume and his curls were sticking out in all directions. Many of the still-damp ringlets fell down into Blaine's face, causing him to look incredibly young.

"I'll be right back, okay?" Kurt said, lifting Blaine's chin gently so their eyes met. "I'm going to go get some detangling cream for your hair."

Blaine nodded without lifting his head and ran a finger over the impossibly soft mink blanket, which covered the bed.

_His_ bed.

The eyes of the two fierce-looking wolves printed into the fabric stared back at him.

_I should be afraid of them._

But for some reason he was not afraid of the feral beasts. Instead, he felt oddly comforted by their ferocity.

_Maybe they'll protect me._

Kurt re-entered the room then, and noticed Blaine's sudden infatuation with the mink blanket on his bed.

"I know it doesn't really go with the décor in here, but Carole insisted on it so you stay nice and warm."

Blaine remained quiet as Kurt squirted some of the detangling cream into his hair and worked it through with his fingers mindlessly.

"Blaine?" He asked. "Are you… _afraid_ to be in here alone?"

The question caught Blaine off guard.

_How does he always know what I'm thinking?_

He hesitated for a moment before realizing that Kurt likely already knew the answer.

There was no point in trying to hide it.

He nodded sadly without looking up at the taller boy.

Kurt finished massaging the cream into Blaine's curls and wiped his hands on the towel before kneeling in front of Blaine and taking his face gently into his hands.

"I'm going to be right downstairs." He explained. "I'll keep my phone with me. You can text me anytime you need me."

Blaine still looked uncertain.

Kurt stood up and pulled Blaine to a standing position by taking his hand.

"Come with me, I want to show you something."

He led Blaine over to the door of the bedroom and pointed to a shiny silver deadbolt that had been installed on the inside of the door.

"My dad just put this lock on your door." Kurt explained. "You can lock it at night if it makes you feel safer."

A skeptical look graced Blaine's features.

"I know that the lock at the motel didn't work. So… you don't have to use this one, but just know that it's an option."

Blaine shuddered slightly at the mention of the motel, but nodded once Kurt had finished speaking.

"You're safe here, Blaine." Kurt reassured, squeezing Blaine's hand. "I promise."

Both boys jumped slightly when there was a gentle knock on the door next to them.

Carole entered the room carrying a glass of water and the bottles containing Blaine's medications.

"Hey guys, you doing okay?" She asked softly.

Both Blaine and Kurt nodded slowly and followed Carole back over towards the bed.

"Blaine. I have your night time meds." She explained. "Would you like to take them now?"

He nodded and reached for the glass of water.

Carole handed Blaine several pills, explaining what each was for and why he was taking it.

"Here are your antibiotics." She said, dropping the last of the tablets into his outstretched fingers minutes later. "Because you had your spleen removed when you were in the hospital before, you are more susceptible to infection, so we have to be very careful about keeping up with your antibiotics."

Blaine nodded and swallowed the pills.

"Would you like to take any of your pain meds or sleeping pills that the doctor prescribed for you?"

Blaine shook his head, which was not a surprise to Carole at all.

"I'm okay, thank you." He replied politely.

"Okay honey, that's your decision." She pressed a tender kiss to the forehead of both boys. "If you change your mind, let me know okay?"

Blaine nodded.

"Have a good sleep you two." She said turning to leave. "Blaine, just remember that we are right down the hallway if you need us, okay?"

He nodded again.

"Goodnight Carole." Kurt and Blaine said in unison.

They watched as Carole flashed them one last pride-filled glance, before turning and walking out of the room and down the hallway towards her and Burt's bedroom.

Kurt turned towards Blaine, who'd become stalk still and silent as ever.

He gently picked up Blaine's hand and held it gracefully within his own.

"Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

Blaine felt sheepish.

Once again, Kurt had read his mind.

He nodded silently and happily allowed Kurt to lead him to the bed.

Kurt pulled back the covers and allowed Blaine to climb in first and when he appeared to be comfortable, Kurt snuck in and lay down beside him before leaning over and shutting off the bedside lamp and pulling the covers up to their chins.

Neither boy spoke for the longest time, causing Kurt to be almost convinced that the teen lying beside him had fallen asleep before Blaine's hushed whispers broke the silence.

"This was your mom's room."

Kurt turned his body so he was facing Blaine and looked at the other boy, who was staring aimlessly at the ceiling.

"Yes. She did a lot of her sewing in here." Kurt explained. "She was always designing new clothes for me."

"Does it make you sad to be in here?"

Kurt was slightly unprepared for the question.

"I didn't come in here very much after she died." He whispered moments later. "I guess it made me sad to think about her back then."

"But does it make you sad now?"

"Maybe a little bit." Kurt admitted woefully. "I still miss her a lot."

Blaine nodded, but didn't speak any further. He felt Kurt reach over, find his hand and interlock their fingers together.

He instantly felt more relaxed, so he closed his eyes and allowed his body to settle into the bed comfortably.

Kurt remained in his position, staring unabashedly at the boy lying next to him for several minutes.

Blaine's long dark eyelashes were splayed out over his cheeks and his curls were starting to dry, making them spring up into tighter, less controlled twists.

Kurt watched as Blaine's breathing rate deepened and his mind finally allowed his body to let go and he drifted off into a deep slumber.

He didn't dare move a muscle for several minutes after Blaine had fallen asleep in fear of waking him up, but finally, Kurt slipped out from underneath the blankets and pulled them up tight around Blaine's chin, effectively tucking him in.

He pressed a lingering kiss to Blaine's forehead before he carefully slid off the bed, but before he silently stepped out the room, Kurt turned back once more to stare at the peaceful looking boy in the bed.

"Good night my sweet Blaine."

* * *

From their bedroom down the hall, even through the walls and Blaine's closed bedroom door, Burt and Carole awoke several times to the boy whimpering and crying in the night.

The first few times, Carole quickly got up out of bed, put on her robe and went in to sit with Blaine until he calmed enough to fall back asleep.

The third time, Burt whispered softly "It's okay Carole, I'll go this time."

He quietly slipped into his moccasins and his own robe and headed down the hallway into Blaine's room.

As Burt approached the bed, he saw Blaine tossing and turning underneath the covers, with a scowl on his face.

He was still asleep, but his unconscious mind appeared to be in the midst of a horrible nightmare.

Blaine's fingers were clenched tightly around the edge of the mink blanket and his lips were trembling as desperate words began to spill from his mouth.

"P-please don't hurt him."

Burt's heart ached as he sunk down on the bed next to the terrified boy.

"Shhh, Blaine, you're okay. It's just a dream." He whispered softly.

The scowl on Blaine's face deepened and his voice grew weaker and more pained.

"I'll do w-whatever you want. P-please just l-leave Kurt alone."

Burt's stomach dropped.

The acidic taste of bile rose in his throat as his brain calculated the significance of Blaine's words.

_Blaine went through hell, literal hell, to protect my son._

_That bastard forced him into god-knows-what by using Kurt as a bargaining chip._

Burt sniffled away an angry tear as he pried Blaine's fingers off the edge of the blanket and squeezed his hand.

"It's okay, buddy." He sobbed, running his thumb over the back of Blaine's whitened knuckles. "Kurt is alright."

Blaine's muffled pleas continued for several minutes until Burt felt him relax slightly and his breathing returned to a normal, rhythmic rate.

Burt sighed as he took in the sight of the now slightly more relaxed boy in front of him.

"It's okay buddy." He repeated over and over. "Kurt is alright."

"You saved him."

* * *

A terrified scream pierced through the silence of the Hummel household about an hour later, causing both Carole and Burt to wake up with a start.

Burt shot out of bed, forgoing his slippers and robe and darted down the hallway in his boxers and undershirt.

When he reached the door leading into Blaine's bedroom, his eyes widened when he turned the knob and found that the door was locked.

A second wail sounded from behind the closed door, sending chills up Burt's spine.

"Blaine?" He pounded on the door with his fist. "Blaine! Open up the door, buddy."

When Burt received no response from Blaine, he continued pounding on the door, cursing himself for thinking that installing a lock on the inside of Blaine's room had been a smart idea.

"Come on, Blaine, its Burt!" He shouted. "Please unlock the door!"

The terrified screams had turned into frightened whimpers, and Burt found himself at a loss for words.

"Blaine? You're safe here! No one can hurt you!"

Nothing.

Kurt came running up the stairs at that moment, with his normally perfectly coiffed hair strewn all about and wide, worried eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked frantically.

Burt turned around and threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"He locked the door."

Kurt's heart sunk.

_Oh._

_Blaine didn't feel safe._

_Even here, he didn't feel safe._

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted as Burt continued knocking heavily on the door.

"Stop!" Kurt yelled, pulling his father's hand away.

Burt turned to look at his son in confusion.

"You're probably freaking him out pounding on the door like that." Kurt explained. "Let me try."

He leaned into the door until his face was only inches away.

"Blaine? It's Kurt." He spoke softly, but loud enough that his voice should carry into the room. "Can you hear me?"

No reply.

"I'm here, Blaine. And my dad is here too." He continued. "We're worried about you."

Nothing.

"I know you're scared Blaine, but you're okay. You're safe here."

Kurt sighed.

_At least he's not screaming anymore._

He turned around to face his dad, giving him a hopeless shrug.

"I don't know what to do."

Burt frowned and cupped a hand over his son's shoulder reassuringly.

"Me neither, buddy." He said sadly. "Me neither."

Kurt placed his hand on the door for several seconds before knocking gently.

"Blaine? Are you okay?" He asked. "Please just let me know that you're okay."

No response.

Kurt was beginning to lose his composure. He could feel tears welling up in the corners of his eyes and his stomach was clenching with every breath.

_What is he doing in here?_

_Is he okay?_

A horrific thought flashed into Kurt's mind.

_Has he hurt himself? _

His breath caught as he considered this new development. He spun around to face his father with a look of horror.

"Dad… you don't t-think he'd ever… _do _anything… d-do you?" He stuttered.

It took Burt a moment to understand what Kurt was suggesting, but when he did, he visibly paled.

_He wouldn't._

_Would he?_

Kurt placed his trembling fingers over his mouth in shock and took in a stuttered breath before turning to knock on the door once again.

"Blaine, please!" He cried. "You're scaring me!"

By this time, Finn and Carole had joined them in the cramped hallway, anxiously waiting to see how everything developed. Carole looked seriously concerned and Finn looked… _disheveled_.

He'd obviously been sound asleep.

Kurt's heart raced as thousands of thoughts spun through the depths of his mind like a wobbly-filmed home movie.

_Blaine didn't feel safe here._

_He's so depressed after everything that's happened._

_He might hurt himself._

_What if…_

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted by a metal-sounding click from the other side of the door.

He froze.

With wide eyes, Kurt turned to face his dad who was still standing next to him with his hand on his shoulder.

The elder Hummel nodded, confirming Kurt's suspicions.

_Blaine unlocked the door._

Kurt took a deep breath and hesitated slightly before reaching forward and placing his fingers around the doorknob.

He closed his eyes as he turned the knob and held his breath as he slowly allowed the door to creep open only an inch.

"Blaine?" He whispered. "It's Kurt. Is it okay if I come in?"

After receiving no answer, he slid the door open several more inches and popped his head inside.

Blaine was standing between the bed and the dresser on the far side of the tiny room, looking fearfully at Kurt with wide eyes. He had his right arm wrapped around himself protectively and he was shaking visibly.

Kurt released the breath he'd been holding as he made eye contact with the obviously terrified teen.

_Scared but unharmed._

"Hi." Kurt whispered softly.

Blaine gulped but did not reply, and his eyes never strayed from Kurt's. He looked hesitant to believe that his friend was standing only feet away from him.

"Thank you for unlocking the door, Blaine." Kurt stepped towards him slowly. "We were worried."

Blaine's terrified eyes softened and filled with tears.

"Kurt?"

"Yeah, Blaine. It's me." Kurt replied sadly. "I'm here."

As soon as Kurt saw Blaine's lower lip begin to tremble, he rushed over and took the boy into his arms. Blaine's knees gave out from underneath him seconds after Kurt took him into the embrace and the taller teen helped him down until they were both seated on the floor, with Blaine curled up in Kurt's lap.

"I t-thought it was him. I thought he was t-trying to get in here…" Blaine sobbed, leaving tearstains on the front of Kurt's satin pajamas.

"It's okay sweetie." Kurt breathed delicately next to Blaine's ear. "I've got you. You're safe now."

"I thought I was back there again."

"It was just a nightmare, Blaine." Kurt reassured. "He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore."

"I know." Blaine sniffled. "But it was just so _real_."

Kurt sat cuddling Blaine on his lap for several more minutes, whispering reassurances in his ear and gently brushing dark curls out of his face until the boy grew significantly calmer.

Burt, Carole and Finn watched sadly from the hallway, wishing there was more they could do to help.

Finally, after another few minutes, Carole instructed Finn to return to bed, telling him that the worst was over.

Blaine was going to be okay.

Burt peeked his head into the bedroom and silently asked Kurt if they were okay, using several unofficial hand gestures.

Kurt nodded sadly.

_We'll be fine._

Burt and Carole returned to bed solemnly, leaving the two boys comforting each other on the floor of Blaine's bedroom.

After about ten minutes, Kurt shifted uncomfortably underneath Blaine, whose head shot up immediately.

"I'm sorry, Kurt." His voice was rough and pitchy from crying.

"Oh Blaine, don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

Blaine's gaze fell to the floor shamefully.

"I woke everyone up."

Kurt sighed, pulling Blaine closer.

"They're fine. We were all just worried about you, that's all."

The remorseful look on Blaine's face intensified.

"Shhh…" Kurt hushed, before adding with a grin, "Let's move back up onto the bed, shall we? I lost feeling in my butt a while ago."

Blaine nodded, wiping the remaining tears from his cheeks and stood up slowly.

Kurt helped him into bed once again before crawling in next to him and turning off the lamp.

"You don't have to stay in here." Blaine said gruffly.

Kurt turned towards him, confused. "You don't want me to stay with you?"

Blaine shook his head. "I'll be okay now."

"Are you sure?" Kurt said unconvinced. "I really don't mind."

"I'm fine Kurt."

"Well… Want me to stay until you fall asleep again?"

Blaine shrugged.

Kurt's heart broke.

_Something is wrong._

_He's still not okay._

He carefully pulled the covers up to Blaine's chin before resting his arm over his torso and closing his eyes.

_Please let me in Blaine._

_Tell me what's going on inside your head._

Blaine feigned sleep for twenty more minutes until he felt Kurt slip out of the bed wordlessly and leave the room.

His heart ached and he felt cold, empty and alone in his bed.

He pulled the covers off of him and slipped off the edge of the bed before padding over to the desk and pulling out his journal once again.

Blaine scribbled on the page for several minutes before switching off the lamp on his desk and slipping back into his bed.

He lay awake for a while after that, silently cursing himself for waking up the entire household and freaking everyone out.

He missed Kurt.

_Get a grip, Blaine. _

_You're not a child._

He really missed Kurt.

Finally, he climbed back out of bed and padded over towards his desk and clicked on the lamp once again.

He took his phone off the desk, slid it open and opened the camera app. He brought the phone up and snapped a picture of the 'courage' collage that hung on his bulletin board. The flash that resulted from the camera lit up the room and stung his eyes.

Blaine climbed back into bed with his phone and messed around with the settings until he had the photo saved as his background image.

He clicked the off button on his phone, sending his tiny room into a state of darkness and set it back on the table next to his bed.

Twenty more minutes passed, Blaine completely awake and unable to relax into a comfortable position in his bed. He kept tossing and turning, trying to forget about the millions of thoughts and memories that shuffled through his mind.

_I wonder if Kurt is asleep._

He debated on picking up his phone and texting him, but he knew that if Kurt was indeed sleeping, the text would certainly wake him up again.

_I shouldn't wake him._

_He's done so much for me._

_But, he did tell me to text him if I needed him._

_But technically I don't really 'need' him…_

_I miss him._

_He's probably asleep._

Blaine's scrambled mind continued to hold a debate against itself for another long while as he lay in the darkness of his room.

He turned to stare out the small window, hoping to at least see some stars, but was saddened to see that the garage next door obstructed his view.

_I like stars. _

_I wonder if Kurt likes stars._

He mentally scolded himself.

_Stop. Thinking. About. Kurt._

He fumbled around in the dark until he found his phone on the nightstand and slid it open once again, squinting as the brightness of the screen pierced his eyes.

Blaine opened up his address book and scrolled to find Kurt's number and typed a short message asking if Kurt was awake.

Then he decided he'd better not wake Kurt up, so he closed out the messenger app before sending the message and played a game of Angry Birds instead.

After a few minutes of unsuccessful pig smashing, Blaine gave up, re-opened the messenger app and finally sent Kurt his message.

Kurt's reply came back seconds later with a delicate sounding '_ding'_.

_Apparently he was still awake._

They messaged back and forth for a few brief seconds (with Blaine still pretending that he didn't need Kurt to sleep next to him) before the older teen informed Blaine that he was coming upstairs.

And he was bringing a guest.

* * *

"You came."

"I said I would."

"Will your dad be mad?"

"Nope, now squidge over."

"Squidge?"

Even in the darkness Blaine could see the mock-annoyance on Kurt's face. He could even make out the faint outline of his raised eyebrow and the way he held his hand on his hip.

Blaine smiled to himself and pulled back the covers on the opposite side of the bed and wiggled over, making enough room for Kurt to climb in next to him.

The feelings of loneliness and fear disappeared the moment Kurt laid down on the bed next to him.

He no longer felt cold and alone.

Both teens laid on their backs for several seconds looking up at the ceiling in silence.

"I miss the stars." Blaine whispered suddenly.

"Did they go somewhere?" Kurt replied with a quiet chuckle, finally turning onto his side to look at the other teen.

Blaine remained staring at the empty ceiling and sighed.

"I used to have this big window in my room at Dalton, right above my bed. Sometimes I'd just lay awake at night and stare at all the stars that twinkled in."

Kurt smiled, still staring at Blaine. That was the most he'd spoken at one time since he'd first met him.

"Some night when it's warmer out and you're feeling better we will go for a walk outside and do some star-gazing."

Blaine finally turned his head to face Kurt and smiled.

"I'd like that."

They remained in their positions for several minutes, enjoying a comfortable silence before Kurt reached over and hesitantly intertwined his fingers with Blaine's.

A shocked gasp slipped from Blaine's lips and he pulled his hand away quickly.

Before Kurt's brain could even form an apology, Blaine slid over on the bed, farther away from Kurt.

"You shouldn't touch me."

Kurt, after taking a moment to collect the pieces of his shattered heart looked at Blaine with a hurt expression.

"I'm sorry Blaine… I just thought…"

"I'm sick."

Kurt thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Blaine, I know you might think…"

"They didn't use protection Kurt."

Blaine struggled to pull himself into a sitting position on the bed and turned his head away, refusing to look at Kurt.

Kurt swallowed the lump of sorrow in his throat and pulled himself into a similar position, still sitting an arms length away from Blaine.

He didn't know what to say.

Part of him wanted to reach out and pull Blaine into his arms and never let him go, but the other part of him knew that Blaine needed some distance right now.

"Blaine, it's going to be okay."

"No, it's not okay!" Blaine replied angrily, his voice rising above a whisper for the first time. "Nothing is okay, Kurt."

Kurt shied away.

He hadn't seen this coming.

"I'm sick." Blaine repeated. "And I don't want you to get sick too."

Seconds passed.

"I don't want you to ever feel like this."

"Like what?" Kurt asked quickly.

_Keep him talking._

"Like…" Blaine hesitated. "Like you're dirty, and disgusting, and _worthless_."

With each word he spoke, Blaine's voice became closer and closer to breaking. Waves of emotion rolled off of him; anger, embarrassment, shame, fear, and… hopelessness.

Kurt cringed at Blaine's admission.

He reached over and took Blaine's hand in his own and squeezed his trembling fingers.

"Oh, Blaine." Kurt sighed. "You're none of those things."

Blaine scoffed and continued to look away.

"You're beautiful and pure and amazing."

Each word that rolled off Kurt's tongue sent pangs of emotion through Blaine's conflicted heart.

The tears that had been gathering at the corners of his eyes began to slip down his cheeks and he finally turned to look at Kurt with the saddest eyes the older teen had ever seen.

"You're just saying that." Blaine sniffled.

"I am saying it." Kurt replied, wiping his thumb down Blaine's cheek, clearing away the tears. "And I mean every single word."

Blaine's face crumbled and a second wave of tears cascaded down his cheeks.

Kurt wiggled closer to Blaine and opened up his arms, indicating to Blaine that he wanted to hold him.

Blaine hesitated before he too finally shimmied closer and lay himself down into Kurt's lap.

They sat together, each with their own tears for several minutes until Blaine's sobs slowed to sporadic hiccups.

"They did things to me Kurt. _Horrible_ things."

"Shhh, sweetheart, I know." Kurt cooed, running his fingers through Blaine's curls. "I know."

"I let them."

Kurt clenched his eyes closed at Blaine's words, causing additional silent tears to streak down his porcelain face.

"I should have fought harder to get away, but I was so scared. They said they'd hurt you if I left. This is all my fault."

"It's _not_ your fault, Blaine." Kurt whispered hoarsely. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I'll never be clean. I'll never be pure."

This time, Kurt didn't know how to reply, so he merely held Blaine tightly in his arms and continued running his long and delicate fingers through his curls.

It was quite a while later that the tears finally came to an end and both boys slid back down into their original positions, only this time, with their fingers laced together comfortably.

After a few minutes like this, Kurt reached behind him and pulled a stuffed plush bunny off of the floor and set it on the bed between him and Blaine.

"Blaine, this is Thumpy." He said with a grin. "Thumpy… meet Blaine."

Blaine picked up the toy and turned it around in his hand.

"Thumpy, hey?"

Kurt grinned. "Don't make fun of him. I've had him since I was little."

"He's cute." Blaine admitted, rubbing his fingers over the bunny's soft ears. "But why Thumpy?"

"You've seen _Bambi_, right?"

"Like years ago." Blaine admitted.

"The rabbit on it is named 'Thumper', but when I was little, I couldn't pronounce my r's."

Blaine chuckled.

"Don't laugh." Kurt pouted. "It was a legit problem. I had to see a speech therapist and everything."

"Oh?"

"Yup. And by the time we got that figured out, I'd lost a bunch of my baby teeth and I called him 'fwumper' for a while. It's a wonder the poor little guy didn't suffer from an identity crisis."

Blaine smiled. He was imagining a gap-toothed Kurt with a messy bedhead wearing onesie pajamas and dragging the plush rabbit behind him.

"He looks like he's in really good shape for a bunny who probably went everywhere with you from the time you were little." Blaine commented. "His fur looks brand new."

"I kept really good care of him." Kurt replied. "He bathed almost as often as I did growing up."

Blaine nodded.

"Plus – he was the last toy that my mom got for me, so I always kept him safe and protected."

"I want you to hang on to him for a little while." Kurt said several minutes later, reaching between them and giving the bunny a gentle scratch. "He's gotten me through some really tough times, so I think he'll be a good friend for you. He's a really good listener."

Blaine smiled sadly.

"Like when your mom died?"

Kurt nodded. "Yup. He was there for me every night. I remember trying to be brave and not letting my dad see me cry. It used to make him very upset when I cried, so I think my little eight-year-old brain figured that if I didn't cry, then he wouldn't."

Blaine nodded.

"What was she like? Your mom, I mean."

Kurt's eyes twinkled in the dark. "She was gorgeous. I mean, mostly I just remember her from pictures, but she was absolutely stunning."

Blaine sighed.

_I see that._

"She was so friendly to everyone. Not a mean bone in her body. Everyone loved her." Kurt added fondly.

"Dad told me that they fell in love in high school. 'Love at first sight', even. They got married right after high school and dad opened up the Tire Shop and mom worked at the Elementary School. She was a first grade teacher."

Blaine smiled.

"She sounds perfect."

Kurt's grin faltered slightly.

"She was."

After several minutes of silence, Blaine finally gathered the nerve to ask the question that had been burning in his mind for so long.

"Can I ask you how she…"

"Cancer." Kurt interrupted. "Breast cancer."

Blaine nodded once.

"They didn't catch it in time, it was already progressed too far. She was given six months but only lasted three."

"Oh Kurt, I'm so sorry." Blaine said solemnly. He reached over and squeezed Kurt's fingers gently.

"I remember being at the hospital a few times when dad and I went to visit her. But I don't remember much when she was closer to… the _end_. I think dad wanted me to remember her the way she was when she was healthy - when she was _mom_."

The pair of teens remained quiet for several minutes, both lost in the depth of the conversation they'd just had. It was a different feeling for them – they hadn't really shared much about their pasts to each other directly.

It felt… oddly _comfortable_.

"Why didn't you want me to stay?" Kurt finally broke the silence.

"Hmmm?"

"Before, when you had that nightmare, you didn't want me to stay in here with you."

Blaine gulped and looked back towards the ceiling of his bedroom.

"Was it because you thought you might be sick?"

Blaine shrugged.

"Kind of. Maybe, I guess."

"Blaine, I know you're scared to get those test results back. But I want you to know that you're not alone. I'm here with you and I'm not going anywhere. No matter what the tests say. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

"Okay." Blaine agreed hopefully.

Kurt's heartfelt words were exactly what he needed to hear. The weight that had been pressing down on his shoulders instantly lifted and he felt just a little bit more relaxed.

_Thank you, Kurt. _

_What would I do without you?_

"Was that the only reason?" Kurt asked.

Blaine thought for a moment.

"No." He sighed.

"I didn't want you to be sad."

"Sad?" Kurt asked inquisitively. "Why would being with you make me sad?"

"It's your mom's room. You said before that it made you sad to be in here." Blaine's head fell slightly as he admitted to Kurt the real reason why he'd regrettably asked him to leave.

"Oh, Blaine…" Kurt sighed. "The room doesn't make me sad! Maybe it did a long time ago, but not anymore. I mean, _sure_… it's kind of weird being in here again, but it's also kind of… _refreshing_. It reminds me of her – but in a good way."

Blaine smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay. Then I guess you can stay." Blaine grinned, and his eyes twinkled with a devious little sparkle.

"Oh, can I now?" Kurt quipped with a raised eyebrow.

The boys rolled over onto their sides, now fully facing each other with only 'Thumpy' separating them.

Kurt reached down and clasped Blaine's hand into his own and squeezed his fingers tenderly.

"I'm glad you're in this room." He said softly. "My mom would have liked you."

Blaine smiled and returned the gentle squeeze.

"Now she can watch over you while you sleep and keep you safe."


	28. I Don't Want To Hide - Part I

**Ch. 26 (Part Two) Review Responses:**

**DrizzleSnow** – Ohhh you! You never fail to make me smile! I love love love your reviews and how you are so detailed in what you see. I love how you interpret my work – mainly because we always seem to be on the exact same page and that makes me smile even more! XOXOXO

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**Whovian2.0 (Ch.4) **- I am cruel, aren't I? Thanks for reading and for leaving reviews!

**GleekCow13 – **Yes… I have many, many plans! Muah ha ha ha ha ;) Thanks for your support!

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Awww! That's a great thing to say! I try to improve each chapter as I go! I've become so obsessed with this story… what started out as a teeny 'project' has turned into a ridiculous saga! Thanks for your support!

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**Tmmontp** – I know right? I totally have a 'soft' spot for Thumpy! I think he's perfect! Hopefully you don't get in trouble at work! Make sure you check out Blaine's journal on Tumblr. Since you love Thumpy… I think you'll like what you find.

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**Sara (guest)** – Yes… that was a rather long chapter hey? I can't stop writing this crazy story! This chapter is being split in half as well!

**Mzjem** – Awww Thank you! I appreciate it! Here's Chapter 27! ENJOY!

**Moioui** – Wow! Great review! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a detailed review for me! I appreciate you being honest with me about your thoughts about my work. Sometimes constructive criticism is difficult to swallow, but your tone was perfect and it was great to hear about your perspective. I had some concerns about the last chapter in regards to Blaine's progress, and hesitated as I posted it for that reason, but I think you'll find the next chapter makes up for any concern you had! Thanks again for being such a dedicated reader and review! I appreciate you!

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***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter may contain depictions of violence, coarse language and non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 27 Part One

Burt Hummel sat at the oval-shaped oak table with his chin in his hand staring out the kitchen window at nothing in particular. Sleep pulled at his tired eyes and a long, drawn out yawn brought moisture to the corners of them as he mindlessly watched a Bluejay land on the frost-covered railing of the veranda and pick at an invisible speck in the pristine white snow.

It had been a long night.

A very long night.

Blaine had woken up at least four times throughout the course of the evening.

Well… not fully _woken up_ exactly, but the boy had been plagued by dreams; _nightmares_ really, that had him whimpering and crying out on several occasions.

The first few times Blaine's fearful cries had stirred them awake, Carole had gone in and sat with the troubled boy, although he was never really conscious enough to know that she was there. Finally, by the third time, Burt himself had gone in to sit with Blaine until the nightmare passed and he was able to fall back into a seemingly restless slumber.

Burt's heart had broken more and more with every painful whimper and moan he'd heard that night.

He wished there was more he could do.

When Blaine had woken up screaming at just after 2am, Burt was almost certain that the boy would never be able to sleep again. He'd never heard such a terrified wail.

He could only imagine what (or more frighteningly, _who_) had been plaguing Blaine's mind to cause him to sound so frightened.

Burt was relieved that Kurt had been able to calm Blaine enough to silence the sobs and choked cries. After he was certain there was no more he or Carole could do, they'd left Blaine in Kurt's capable hands and returned to bed, both at a loss for words.

Now Burt sat at the kitchen table, with memories of the preceding night tumbling through his exhausted brain.

_Will Blaine ever have a restful sleep again? _

_Will he ever be able to trust anyone after all he's been through?_

Burt couldn't answer these questions, and that cut into his heart more and more as he thought about it.

It was almost eight o'clock; the sun had just peeked above the horizon through the crispness of the chilled winter air. He and Carole had decided to sleep in this morning – they'd earned it.

They'd actually managed to sneak in a few hours of sleep following Blaine's last episode, much to Burt's surprise. He'd assumed that the boy would keep up his disrupted sleep pattern, waking up every hour or so from the nightmares that besieged his brain.

But he hadn't.

It appeared as though Blaine was able to drift back off to sleep after all.

Or else he hadn't even bothered.

Maybe he'd just laid awake for the rest of the night to avoid having the nightmares come back.

But either way, they hadn't heard any further whimpers or cries coming from down the hallway after Kurt had managed to settle Blaine down and help him back into bed.

Burt wasn't sure if the silence was comforting or foreboding.

"Why don't you just go and check on him?" Carole asked softly, as though reading his mind. She placed a mug of steaming black coffee on the table in front of him and allowed her fingers to linger on his hand gracefully. "You're not going to be able to think straight until you've seen for yourself that he's okay."

"He either got back to sleep and didn't wake up again or he laid awake the rest of the night." Burt sighed. "But either way, I didn't hear him cry out again."

"I know, honey." Carole sighed. "It's going to be a long healing process for him, emotionally _and_ physically."

The pair remained quiet for several minutes as she pulled out a chair next to Burt and sat down at the table with her own cup of coffee.

"I'm shocked Kurt hasn't been up to check on him yet." Burt said, looking up from his mug.

Carole smiled thoughtfully. "I can't believe how close they've grown in such a short amount of time."

"It's crazy, isn't it?" Burt grimaced. "Should I be worried about that?"

Carole shrugged. "I think they're good for each other. Blaine has needed someone like Kurt since… well, since before I met in him the hospital two years ago."

"And god knows it's good for Kurt to have someone to talk to as well." Burt admitted. "I haven't always known the right things to say to him. We barely have anything in common."

Carole smiled and reached her hand over until her fingers were intertwined with Burt's once again.

"You have done an amazing job with him, Burt." She said lovingly. "He's a sweet, caring boy."

They sat in silence for a while, both enjoying their cups of coffee until Burt swallowed the last sip from his mug and got to his feet.

"I'm just going to peek in at him and make sure that he's okay."

Carole smiled knowingly and took another sip from her own mug as Burt disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

She'd just swallowed the last drop of her own coffee when Burt re-emerged several minutes later with a look of satisfied wonder on his stubble-covered face.

"Everything okay?"

"I should have known." He looked up at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Carole frowned and cocked her head to the side. "Hmmm?"

"He's sound asleep." Burt said confidently.

Carole's heart warmed, but before she could reply, Burt's face broke into a grin and he continued.

"…with Kurt snuggled in tight beside him."

"Oh?"

"Yup. Little bugger must have snuck in during the night." Burt explained. "They're both cuddled up face-to-face under that mink blanket you put in there."

Carole's eyes widened.

_Of course they are._

_No wonder Blaine slept through the rest of the night._

Burt chuckled before adding. "And Kurt must have brought Thumpy up for Blaine."

"Thumpy?" Carole asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He's this little stuffed rabbit that Elizabeth bought him years ago." He chuckled. "I'm pretty sure he's slept with it every night since she passed away."

"That's sweet." Carole smiled warmly.

"Blaine has it tucked in under his arm." Burt explained fondly. "And Kurt is laying with his forehead pressed into Blaine's."

Carole tilted her head in wonder as she imagined the scene. She was tempted to peek in on them quickly, just so she could see for herself.

"They're holding hands, Carole." Burt spoke up several minutes later. "Are you sure that I shouldn't be worried?"

"Kurt seems to know what he's doing." Carole shrugged. "And Blaine wouldn't let him be that close if he was uncomfortable."

"I suppose." Burt admitted. "I'd just hate for Blaine to freak out and lose that trust he has in Kurt. He's the only one that seems to get through to him right now."

"I agree. The bond they share is truly inspiring, isn't it?"

Burt nodded.

"Yes, and it's great that they have each other to deal with all of this, but I still think I should have a little talk with Kurt this morning when he gets up."

"A talk about what?" A sleepy voice sounded from the doorway into the kitchen.

Burt and Carole both turned simultaneously in their chairs to see a sleep-dishevelled Kurt walk into the kitchen while stretching his arms out above his head as his mouth opened widely in a lazy yawn.

"Good morning Kurt." Carole said quickly.

"Sleep well?" Burt added.

Kurt yawned again as he reached into the cupboard next to the sink and pulled out his favourite green coffee mug.

"Uh huh." He said tiredly, pouring coffee from the pot into his mug before adding with a third yawn, "Eventually."

"I saw that you snuck in with Blaine sometime during the night." Burt got right to the point.

Kurt turned to his dad with a slightly guilty look on his face.

"That's _okay_, isn't it?" He asked cautiously. "He texted me when he couldn't sleep."

Burt nodded. "Is he still sleeping now?"

"Yeah." Kurt said. He leaned against the kitchen counter and took a quick slurp of his coffee. "It was pretty late when he finally passed out."

"Do you think he'll be okay to wake up by himself?" Carole asked.

"I left him a note." Kurt grinned proudly as he brought the coffee pot over and refilled both Carole's and Burt's mugs.

Carole noticed the twinkle in Kurt's eyes as he was no doubt recalling the details of the note he'd left for Blaine.

"That's probably a good idea. We don't want him to be afraid when he wakes up." Burt admitted, taking a small sip of the new scorching hot coffee.

He'd obviously not caught the same twinkle that Carole had.

"You're not mad that I stayed with him last night are you, dad?" Kurt asked, turning back from the counter after he'd replaced the coffee pot in the warmer. "He was pretty freaked out after that last nightmare."

"No." Burt sighed. "But you need to be very careful about how you deal with Blaine for a little while, buddy."

Kurt frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean that you have to be cautious until Blaine is feeling better. His mind is pretty confused right now."

"I'd never hurt him, dad." Kurt said defensively.

"We know that honey." Carole cut in, sensing Burt's discomfort. "What your father means is that Blaine is still very fragile right now and something as little as an unexpected touch or someone saying the wrong words could easily set him off."

"He trusts me." Kurt responded despondently.

"We know that, Kurt." Burt replied, placing his hand on his son's slumped shoulder. "We just want to make sure that it stays that way."

Kurt looked as though he was going to say something further, but instead, he shrugged off Burt's hand, turned towards the refrigerator and poured a glass of orange juice before returning to the table and pulling out a chair to sit across from his father and Carole.

Burt cleared his throat. He hadn't wanted to have this conversation with Kurt… like… _ever_… but it was long overdue.

"Kurt…" He started with a heavy sigh, "Blaine has been through… _a lot_ over the past couple of years. More than any one person should ever have to deal with, let alone a good, young kid like Blaine. He's been dealt a shitty hand, and he's powered through with more strength than I could ever hope of having, but you have to understand, he has been let down from the very start."

When Kurt didn't say anything Burt continued.

"His family abandoned him, Kurt. Literally." Burt scowled as he spoke. "Even after he'd almost been killed by those idiot kids from his school, they _abandoned_ him. Then after the stuff with his dad's lawyer friend, they actually went one step further and kicked him out of his own home."

Burt had to gulp down his obvious emotion before he could continue.

"He'll _never_ get over that, Kurt. As strong as he is, and as good a mask that he hides underneath, he's never going to be '_okay'_ with that. Your family is suppose to love you unconditionally, and his…" Burt released a frustrated breath. "…his family just threw him to the wolves. Kicked him out and made him fend for himself… at _fifteen_ years old…"

Carole stood then and pressed a loving hand into Burt's shoulder when she realized that he had grown too emotional and was not going to be able to continue his practiced speech.

"Kurt, honey." She began. "What your dad is saying is that Blaine has lost so much already. Losing his family like that has undoubtedly left a hole inside of him. From what I've learned about him, even when he did live at home, they treated him very poorly. We had some very deep conversations at the hospital as he was recovering. He told me how his father had unrealistic expectations of him while he was growing up, and how he always felt as though he was a disappointment and could never properly 'measure up' to his older brother. It took a lot out of him, even before he was actually _kicked out_."

Kurt nodded sadly.

"From the sounds of it, he started at Dalton once he got out of the hospital and things started to look up for him. He made some great new friends, but that was also the time that he joined that fight club and started dating that _Sebastian_ asshole." Burt had regained his composure and started speaking again, and when he spoke Sebastian's name, his voice was filled with angry acid. "By then, Blaine was so used to having people walk all over him that he didn't even see anything wrong with the situation."

Kurt looked up from the spot on the table that he'd been staring at for the past several minutes. He understood what his father was saying to him, but the words were tearing at his heart.

"Kurt, you know as well as I do that his '_relationship'_ (Burt accentuated the word with air quotes) with this boy is or was an abusive one." Burt said firmly. "He filled Blaine's mind with lies and false promises, and because he was the first person to pay any real attention to Blaine after the shit that went down with his family, it made it that much easier for Blaine to believe it. He was craving the attention. He'd been starved of it for so long, that he was blind to Sebastian's abusive tendencies."

Carole once again stepped in and continued where Burt left off.

"He may have thought that what he and Sebastian shared was real, _special_ even, but he wasn't involved with him because he thought he was in love with him. He was with Sebastian because he was scared to be alone, Kurt." She explained sadly. "He likely thought that he'd rather be with Sebastian – even if he was treated so poorly - than to be with no one at all. I think after everything he'd been through, he was terrified to be alone."

A chill crawled up Kurt's spine as he considered Carole's words. He had often wondered what Blaine had seen in that filth of a criminal chipmunk.

_Sebastard_.

His thoughts were broken as Carole continued.

"Then, the horrible, awful things that Blaine was subjected to in that motel room…" She shook her head sadly. "Kurt, you have to understand what that did to him. Any ounce of self worth that he may have miraculously had left by that point was stolen away from him. They robbed him of his innocence, Kurt."

Tears had gathered at the corners of Carole's green eyes and her voice had begun to tremble slightly towards the end of her last sentence, so Burt looked up at her and nodded.

He would continue from here.

"Based on what the police said, those assholes basically treated him like an animal. He was kept in that goddamn cage and only fed scraps when, _and if_, they felt like it. And I don't even want to begin to imagine the things that they did to him while he was being filmed."

Burt's face was red with anger and he clenched his fists below the table as he spoke.

"Right now he feels degraded, disgusting and worthless. They did that to him. And it's up to us to try and reverse those feelings." Burt explained. "He is going to have to heal both physically and mentally, and it's going to take time for him to be able to trust anyone again, as you've already seen."

"You're one of the only people that he feels comfortable with right now Kurt. He trusts you." Carole said with a smile. "He's barely spoken a word to anyone else – Your dad and myself included. But with you, he feels safe and protected."

Kurt's face flushed with warmth.

"That is invaluable right now." Carole continued. "You are the sole glimmer of hope that remains in that boy's eyes and it's crucial that you try and keep that in tact. You might be the only person in the world who can get him through this, Kurt."

Waves of emotion swirled through Kurt's chest. He felt somewhat overwhelmed by Carole's words, but at the same time, he was proud that he'd seemingly been able to make a difference.

He knew that it was his sole responsibility to keep Blaine safe from now on.

Burt and Carole exchanged knowing glances after they'd both watched Kurt absorb the information they'd given him.

Burt knew that it was a lot for his son to take in, but he also knew that if anyone in the world was strong enough to handle it… it was his son.

"Kurt, buddy?" He asked after a moment's silence. "Are you doing okay?"

"He needs me." Kurt said quietly. "I can't let him down again."

Burt looked at his son in concern.

_Again?_

_That's what he took out of that entire conversation?_

"Kurt, you did nothing wrong. If anything, you saved that boy's life."

Kurt shrugged.

"I should have known that something was wrong earlier dad." He frowned. "I could have prevented some of that… _stuff _from happening."

Burt frowned, stood up from his own chair and walked around the table to sit next to his son.

"Kurt, none of this is your fault." He said gently, and placed a consoling hand on his son's shoulder. "It was just an awful thing that happened to Blaine, but none of it is your fault."

Kurt looked downcast, but shrugged his shoulders at his father's words.

"But, just like Carole said, Blaine does trust you. And right now that is a very important thing; he is going to have a hard time trusting anyone for a long time." Burt said sadly.

"So we need to take advantage of that. He seems to relax more and sleep better when you're close to him, and he definitely needs to catch up on rest for a little while until he's all healed up."

Kurt remained looking down at the floral tablecloth.

"So, I guess what I'm saying is…" Burt started. "…that I think it's a good idea for you to sleep with Blaine."

Kurt's head shot up.

_Whoa, what?_

"That's **not** what I meant!" Burt corrected quickly, his cheeks flushing an embarrassing shade of pink. "I meant to say that it's okay for you to sleep together."

Kurt's eyes widened even more.

"Damn it, you know what I mean!" Burt was obviously flustered as the wrong words continued to tumble out of his mouth.

Carole tried desperately to contain the grin that was forming at the corners of her mouth.

She took another sip of coffee to prevent a giggle from escaping her lips.

After Kurt realized what his father was trying to say, he relaxed considerably.

"I know there is nothing… _intimate_… going on with you two right now, but you still need to be careful. Blaine still needs to heal – mentally and physically." Burt explained once he'd regained his composure.

"Trust is huge."

Kurt nodded, feeling a slight blush cover his cheeks. He was having a hard time looking his father in the eye.

They'd had 'the talk' quite a few months ago and this was almost as excruciatingly painful than that had been.

Their '_talk'_ had involved Burt tossing a few pamphlets on the table and sputtering some strangled sentences about the 'importance' of respect while Kurt literally plugged his ears and hummed as loud as he could.

"You two have a special bond." Carole spoke up. "But it's important for you to take things very slow. Let Blaine set the pace, okay?"

Kurt nodded.

There was a very loud silence that filled the kitchen for the next few minutes.

Kurt had just lifted the glass of orange juice to his lips and taken a large mouthful when his father spoke up again.

"So… are you two like… _boyfriends_…now or something?"

The orange juice that Kurt had just sipped nearly spurted out his nose as he looked up at his father in disbelief.

"Dad!" He choked. "Oh my god!"

"What? Isn't that what you call it?"

"Well, _yeah_." Kurt re-considered. "I guess so."

"So… you _are_ boyfriends then?" Burt sounded entirely confused.

"No!" Kurt shouted.

"Oh."

There was another awkward silence as none of the three occupants of the kitchen could think of what possibly to say next.

"He'd never like me like '_that'_, dad." Kurt explained several minutes later after he'd regained most of his composure, and neither Burt nor Carole missed the obvious sadness that laced his voice.

"We're just friends."

Burt and Carole exchanged knowing glances before the elder Hummel looked back to his son with a sparkle in his eyes.

_Riiiiiight. And Mickey Mantle was 'just' a baseball player._

* * *

About ten minutes later, Kurt, Carole and Burt remained sitting at the table in near-silence after the long chat they'd just had. Burt was anxiously fidgeting with a loose screw in the leg of the table and Kurt was pretending to read the fashion section of the newspaper, when a pain-filled sound in the hallway alerted him to a new presence near the kitchen.

He looked up from the table to see a wild-haired Blaine stumbling his way in from the hallway, slowly calculating each pain-filled step with a horrific look of agony written all over his face.

He appeared to be having a hard time standing up on his own, as he was slouched over slightly with his left arm still in its sling and the fingers on his right splayed across the wall as he braced himself heavily against it.

It looked as though the wall was the only thing keeping him upright.

"Blaine!" Kurt shouted, alarmed. He quickly stood up from his place at the table and rushed over to the struggling boy. He managed to get there and wrap an arm around Blaine's middle just as the teen's knees buckled, preventing him from flopping helplessly to the floor.

Kurt lifted him as gently as he could, until Blaine was once again vertical and stared deeply into his tear-drenched eyes.

"Blaine? What happened?"

Blaine avoided Kurt's gaze intentionally, but tightened his grip on the sleeve of the older boy's pyjama shirt until his knuckles were translucently white. His knees were still wobbly and he was relying heavily on Kurt to keep him standing.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked again. "Are you alright?"

No answer.

By this time, both Carole and Burt had stood up from their places at the table and had moved over next to where Kurt and Blaine remained near the wall in the kitchen entryway, both with anxious faces.

"Blaine?"

Kurt was sounding more and more concerned with each of his unanswered queries. He gently lifted Blaine's chin with his fingers until the troubled boy's eyes met his own.

"Please just look at me."

Blaine's face was scrunched in obvious discomfort, but the emotion that was displayed the most prominently was undoubtedly pure shame.

He looked devastated.

His empty hazel eyes were puffy, red-rimmed and filled with unshed tears. Blaine's breath was coming out as weak gasps and sobs and his lower lip was trembling visibly.

It was obvious to Kurt that Blaine was having a hard time maintaining eye contact with him. He was blinking furiously between his stuttered breaths causing the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes to come dangerously close to falling down his cheeks.

Kurt was at a loss.

_What the hell happened?_

_Did he overhear our conversation?_

He tried to place his hands on either side of Blaine's face, but the struggling boy turned his head to the side hastily, seeming to not want anything to do with Kurt at that moment.

"Blaine, honey." Carole stepped closer, sensing Kurt's obvious heartbreak. "What's wrong?"

Blaine still refused to look at anyone or offer any words to appease the three concerned faces that surrounded him.

"Blaine." Burt said solemnly. He tried unsuccessfully to maintain a composed tone as he spoke. "Would you like to go lie on the couch for a little bit?"

His heart rate quickened slightly when Blaine finally acknowledged his presence for the first time and shook his head silently.

Kurt furrowed his eyebrows.

_Why won't you look at me?_

He took a deep breath and decided to try a different approach.

_He looks like he's feeling really ashamed; maybe I'll try to change the subject._

"I'm going to make pancakes for breakfast." He explained subtly. "Would you like to come into the kitchen with me?"

Blaine finally looked up from the floor until his sad hazel eyes became equal to Kurt's.

He stared at him for several full seconds, obviously conflicted, before pulling his lower lip in between his teeth and shrugging sadly.

Kurt smiled hesitantly and straightened his posture before turning back to face the shorter teenager once again.

"Would you like me to help you walk to the table?"

Blaine shrugged again without looking back up at Kurt.

"I'm going to put my arm around your waist so I can help you, okay?"

This time he received a hesitant nod.

_Progress?_

Kurt slipped his arm carefully around Blaine's torso and together they took a small step in the direction of the kitchen table.

The moment Blaine's foot connected with the floor, he released an agonized gasp that sent chills up Kurt's spine.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Kurt asked, but he already knew what Blaine's answer would be before the words had even left his lips.

As predicted, Blaine shook his head quickly, sending his long dark curls dancing above his reddened ears.

"Okay." Kurt sounded disheartened. "We'll just go very slow, alright?"

Blaine didn't reply, but rather kept his eyes on his feet, still calculating each and every fraction of an inch that he moved.

Burt and Carole exchanged concerned looks as the two boys inched their way towards the kitchen table.

"It must have taken too much out of him to walk out here." Carole whispered to Burt sadly. "I guess he's just not physically ready to be walking on his own yet."

Burt frowned.

_This poor kid is trying to be so strong. _

_It's like he's afraid to show any kind of weakness._

"Maybe his muscles seized up on him overnight." She added in a hushed whisper. "But either way, he looks like he's in an awful amount of pain."

Burt nodded and they followed the two boys until they reached the closest chair and Kurt turned his head back and looked at his father.

"Dad, can you please get a pillow from the living room for Blaine?"

Burt nodded and disappeared across the hallway.

He returned seconds later with the fluffiest cushion he could find and placed it on the chair closest to Blaine.

Kurt looked back at the shorter boy, who now had his eyes clenched tightly closed, kept his hold around Blaine's waist and gripped the boy's free hand in his own.

"Blaine?" He paused until the other teen had re-opened his eyes and his pained glance met his own. "We're going to sit you down on the pillow now, okay?"

Blaine risked a glance down to the chair behind him, noticing the pillow on the seat for the first time.

He nodded slowly and tightened his grip on Kurt's fingers.

"It's okay, sweetie." Kurt reassured, feeling the increased pressure on the outside his hand. "I've got you. We'll just go nice and slow, okay?"

Another hesitant nod.

After Blaine took in an exaggerated breath, Kurt helped lower him down until he was seated on top of the cushion.

Immediately, Blaine squeezed his eyes closed and an excruciating hiss seeped out from between his teeth. He ripped his hand out of Kurt's and reached behind him to grip the back of the chair as he pitched himself forward, desperate to take some of the pressure off his tender backside.

Kurt bit his lip as he heard Blaine fail to hold back yet another whimper.

"Are you sure you don't want to lie on the couch while I make breakfast?" He asked despairingly. "I really don't mind, Blaine."

Blaine's face melted into another frown and he shook his head between aggrieved gasps.

"Do you want me to help you back into bed?"

Kurt's chest ached as Blaine's only reply was another minuscule headshake.

A tear slipped down his cheek as he looked to Carole desperately, but all the older woman could do was shrug her shoulders.

She had no idea what do to either.

Kurt's eyes raked over Blaine's quivering form, desperate for some kind of clue.

_Did he have another nightmare after I left?_

_Maybe he didn't see my note and he thought he was left alone again?_

_But why does he look like he's in so much pain? He seemed to be getting better last night._

He took a deep breath; desperate to re-compose himself before he kneeled down in front of Blaine and carefully placed his hands on the tops of each of his knees.

"Blaine, I don't know what to do." He cried. There was zero evidence of composure in his ragged voice. "P-please… Just tell me what do."

The grimace on Blaine's face slipped from one caused by pain to another of pure guilt when he heard the obvious emotion embroidered into each of Kurt's words.

_I made Kurt cry. _

_Again._

_It's all my fault._

_I finally decided to talk to him and look where that got me._

_He hates me._

_After everything I told him last night about what happened to me, he hates me and he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore._

_I'm disgusting, why would he?_

_I should never have said anything in the first place._

'_He' was right. He always told me to keep my mouth shut. He hit me when I tried to talk… or scream._

_If Kurt really didn't care that I'm disgusting and used, and he really wanted to be my friend, he would have helped me._

_He didn't help me._

_He wasn't there when I needed him. _

_He said he'd never let me fall._

"Blaine, honey?"

_Carole._

"Blaine?" She said again. "What hurts honey? Can you tell me?"

_Everything._

_Everything fucking hurts._

_But I deserve it. I deserve this pain. _

_It's all my fault._

He felt Carole kneel down on the floor in front of him after Kurt had stood up and backed away. She gently pried his fingers off the back of the chair and clasped them between both of her own.

"Blaine?" She said softly. "Can you open your eyes for me?"

He was still breathing sporadically between clenched teeth but as he felt Carole's warm hands embracing his own, he lifted his head and finally allowed his eyes to drift open.

"There you are." She smiled sincerely. "Good boy."

Her smile faltered as Blaine's face finally ascended to meet her own.

The boy sitting in front of her looked absolutely shattered.

The pained grimace was gone, but it had been replaced by an emotionless, detached husk.

There was no sparkle in his hazel eyes whatsoever.

They were dark and hollow.

They looked hopeless.

Helpless.

Dead.

"Oh honey." Carole sobbed. "What happened?"

Blaine continued to stare right through the woman kneeling in front of him. His empty eyes were unfocused and glazed over.

"Blaine, it's Carole." She whispered sadly. "Can you hear me?"

His eyes flickered slightly and he nodded without looking at her.

"Sweetie, would you like your pain medication?"

Blaine's head shook only millimeters.

"Honey, I know you're hurting, and you don't have to be strong anymore." She said, gently rubbing her thumbs in circles over both of his knees. "Let us take care of you, and let the medicine do its job."

Blaine's expression remained stoic.

"You don't have to be scared, Blaine." She said softly. "Nothing is going to happen to you here."

Blaine's eyes suddenly flickered over until they were staring directly into Carole's.

Carole's heart rate quickened.

_What is that?_

_Doubt? Or anger?_

"Blaine? Did something happen?"

No response.

He just kept staring directly at Carole.

"Did you have another nightmare?"

Nothing.

"Kurt, will you please get Blaine's pills." She said, without moving her gaze from Blaine's.

"They're on the counter by the microwave."

Kurt dashed to the counter and grabbed the pills and a glass of water before returning and kneeling down next to Carole.

He was an emotional wreck.

_Why wasn't Blaine looking at anyone?_

_Why wouldn't he speak?_

_What happened after I left him the note this morning? He was sleeping peacefully with Thumpy tucked in under his arm. _

_I'm sure I even saw a tiny smile on his face as he slept._

These questions and dozens more spun around Kurt's brain, making him feel slightly dizzy as he dropped a small white tablet from the pill bottle into his palm.

_What did I do wrong?_

_Have I failed him in some way?_

_He looks so lost again._

_I thought he was finally getting better._

_I wish there was something I could say to take all of his pain away._

_It seems like no matter what I do, I can't help him feel better._

_I just wish he'd talk to me._

_I need him to tell me what's going through his mind._

_Help me understand what he's dealing with._

"Here honey." Carole whispered, taking the pill and the glass of water from Kurt. "This will help you feel better."

Blaine's eyes finally swam into focus on the pill resting in Carole's outstretched hand and his stomach clenched violently.

_More drugs._

_They always want me to take more drugs._

_I can't fight back when I take them._

_They make me weak._

_I am weak._

_I've always been weak._

_My father was right all along._

"Blaine, please?" Kurt begged. His voice was rough and broke with emotion. "Please just take it. You're in so much pain."

Blaine pretended not to hear Kurt's pleas.

"You don't have to sleep if you don't want to." Carole suggested. "I know that's what you're afraid of. The pills make you tired and you're scared to fall asleep and have things happen to you, aren't you?"

Blaine's eyes widened.

"You don't have to sleep." She repeated. "You can sit right here, or on the couch, but you don't have to sleep."

Blaine seemed to consider Carole's words carefully for several seconds before he finally nodded.

Kurt and Carole both sighed heavily in relief as Blaine took the pill and placed it on his tongue hesitantly. Carole assisted him to lift the glass of water to his lips and wash the tiny pill down his parched throat.

"Good boy." Carole said softly. She climbed back up to her feet and placed a gentle kiss on Blaine's forehead. "Are you comfortable here, or would you like to move to the couch?"

Blaine shook his head numbly, not exactly answering her question, but Carole assumed he meant that he wanted to stay where he was.

"Okay." She agreed as she stepped back and placed Blaine's pills and glass of water on the counter next to where Burt was standing.

He had watched the entire scene unfold from several feet away, not wanting to add extra pressure to an already unstable situation.

Burt took a careful step towards Blaine and crouched down slightly until he was directly in the boy's line of vision.

"Blaine?" He asked cautiously. "Would you like me to get your journal for you?"

Blaine lifted his head slightly but avoided looking directly at the elder Hummel.

His lips moved slightly, as though he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

Kurt watched with narrowed eyes.

He'd seen Blaine's initial reaction.

He wanted the journal, but it was as though he was hesitant to let Burt get it for him.

"Would you like me to go get it?" He asked, testing his theory. "I promise I won't open it."

Blaine intentionally turned his head in the opposite direction to where Kurt was standing and shrugged.

A sharp ache burned in Kurt's chest and tears stung his eyes.

He felt rejected.

_He wants the journal._

_But he doesn't want anything to do with me._

_What did I possibly do so wrong?_

He gulped down a large lump in his throat, stepped aside and turned to go and fetch the journal.

Burt immediately picked up on Kurt's distress and placed an encouraging hand on his son's slumped shoulder.

"It's okay buddy. We'll figure this out." He whispered softly to his son. "He just needs time."

Kurt nodded impassively and shuffled out of the kitchen and down the hall towards Blaine's room.

* * *

Kurt could hear Blaine frantically scratching words into his journal as he collected the items he would need to make breakfast.

His mind hummed with possible explanations for Blaine's sudden change in personality.

It was literally as though he'd gone from complete trust in Kurt to not wanting anything to do with him overnight.

And that worried the hell out of him.

His father's words about trust being so crucial at this point rang through his mind.

_Blaine doesn't trust me anymore. _

_I don't understand what I did wrong._

He risked a cautious, sideways glance over to the table and out of the corner of his eye he could see Blaine hunched over the table scribbling in his journal.

_I wish I could read what he's writing._

_Maybe that would help me understand._

Kurt shook his head as he turned back to the counter and began to measure out the ingredients for his pancakes.

_I can't read it. _

_He trusts me not to read it._

_At least he used to._

He sighed audibly as he folded the eggs into the pancake batter in the large Pyrex bowl.

_I've tried everything._

_He won't talk to me. _

_He won't tell me what's going through his head. _

_He's not even listening to me anymore. _

_I don't know how to get through to him._

What Kurt didn't realize was that after Blaine had finished his entry, he'd turned in his chair and was studying Kurt.

He watched Kurt's every move as the taller teen slid gracefully around the kitchen, dumping the ingredients into the mixing bowl mindlessly. He didn't measure anything; he'd obviously memorized the recipe after years of making breakfast for himself and Burt.

Blaine studied Kurt's posture as he stood by the counter mixing the thick creamy batter with a whisk.

_His shoulders are tense._

_He's upset._

_I did that._

_I made him sad again._

Kurt remained oblivious to the pair of sad, yet watchful hazel eyes that followed his every step.

* * *

The smell of freshly sizzled bacon had filled the kitchen when Burt and Carole entered from the living room about fifteen minutes later. They'd intentionally given the boys some privacy, hoping that they could patch up whatever it was that was bothering Blaine, but when they saw the tiny teen still sitting silently on his chair and Kurt with his back to him, purposefully fumbling around with dishes in the sink, they knew their plan had been unsuccessful.

They exchanged sad shrugs before each pulling out their chairs and sitting down across from each other at the table.

"Smells delicious, Kurt." Carole chimed, trying to dissolve some of the obvious tension that filled the air. "Thank you for cooking."

Kurt finally pried himself away from the counter, picked up the frying pan, which was filled with fluffy yellow scrambled eggs, from the stove and walked over to the table.

"Of course" He said in a forced voice. He scooped a large helping of eggs onto Carole's plate with a black silicon spatula. "You know I love to cook Carole, it's really no big deal."

He proceeded to walk around the around the table, filling a plate of eggs for his father, as well as the plate he'd set for Finn, who was still obviously downstairs, before stepping next to Blaine.

Both Burt and Carole watched hopefully as Kurt shyly coughed to bring Blaine's attention up from where he had been staring at a tiny imperfection in the wood on the table.

"Would you like some eggs, Blaine?" Kurt's voice cracked, and was several registers higher than he'd aimed for. His face turned warm as he felt the blush creep up his neck.

Blaine, refusing to look at Kurt directly, hesitated for a moment before looking across the table to where Carole sat watching.

She forced a smile onto her face and gave him an encouraging nod, trying desperately to mask her apprehension.

Blaine gulped before turning his head towards where Kurt remained standing next to him, but still avoided his gaze, and nodded very briefly.

Kurt breathed out a shaky sigh before delicately placing a scoop of eggs onto Blaine's empty plate.

"Would you like some more?" Kurt asked.

Blaine returned his eyes to the tiny knot in the table and shook his head once.

Kurt nodded awkwardly, took several steps over to his own place setting and lifted a small serving of eggs onto his own plate before returning the pan to the stove.

He sat down at the table, directly across from Blaine and looked up to see the teen still staring at the table.

"Would you like some bacon, Blaine?" Burt asked, handing the plate to the boy.

Without looking up, Blaine shook his head despondently.

"Are you sure?" Burt asked with a forced chuckle. "Kurt is really good at makin' bacon."

The moment the words slipped from his lips, Burt immediately felt embarrassed once again.

_Chalk up another awkward moment at the Hummel breakfast table._

Blaine, completely oblivious to Burt's slip, merely frowned, reached over and took a single slice of bacon and set it on his plate next to his scoop of eggs that remained untouched.

Burt grimaced.

_That didn't go as well as planned._

_It almost looked like he felt guilty for not taking a piece._

_I didn't mean to force him…_

_Oh god. _

_I have no idea how to deal with this kid._

Carole, sensing Burt's blatant discomfort, brought her hand up and reached across the table. She gave Burt's fingers a gentle, encouraging squeeze before taking the plate of bacon and setting two slices on her own plate and passing the dish to Kurt.

The tension in the small kitchen remained thick as the four occupants of the table began eating their breakfast. Burt was working on a high stack of pancakes, smothered in sticky maple syrup when he decided to try and break the ice.

"Any plans this weekend Kurt?"

It was a dumb question. He knew full well that Kurt was going to stay home with Blaine over the weekend. His son hadn't gone out with his friends in weeks, and he almost literally hadn't left Blaine's side since he'd been admitted into the hospital.

But he had to do something to try and alleviate the tension.

Kurt looked up from his plate and shrugged, picking up on his father's plan to lighten the mood.

"I have some homework that my teachers sent home for me, so I have to catch up on that." He said casually. "But otherwise, not really."

Burt nodded.

"I was… _hoping_ just to hang out with Blaine." Kurt added on a whim. He risked a glance over to where Blaine sat and his chest ached when the curly-haired boy didn't offer even the slightest response.

"That sounds like a good plan." Carole cut in, once again sensing Kurt's emotional distress.

"Blaine, would you like to maybe watch a movie or something with Kurt?"

There was a long, horribly awkward pause.

Kurt was almost certain he could hear crickets chirping as he waited for any inkling of a reply.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of awkward silence, Blaine gave everyone what they'd been waiting for when he looked up at Carole and shrugged his shoulders just slightly.

Burt sighed.

_It wasn't much._

_But it was something._

* * *

Silence once again ensued for several minutes before everyone was alerted to heavy thumping up the basement steps.

Finn was awake.

The lanky quarterback dashed into the kitchen without making eye contact with Blaine or Kurt, ripped open the fridge door and pulled out the orange juice and proceeded to take a large swig – right from the carton.

"Finn!" Carole exclaimed with wide eyes. "What the…? Use a glass!"

Finn quickly tipped the carton back upright, replaced the white cap and literally tossed it back onto the top shelf before closing the fridge door and wiping his sleeve across his face.

"Sorry." He mumbled, still not looking up.

He was about to scurry back out of the kitchen when a shocked Burt Hummel spoke up.

"Don't you want some breakfast? Kurt made bacon."

Finn stopped dead in his tracks.

_Shit. I knew I shoulda just left._

"Uh, no thanks Mister… _uh_… Burt." He said sheepishly. "I'm heading over to Puck's."

"You don't want a bite before you go?" Carole asked. She'd expected Finn to be awkward about the situation, but this was a bit extreme. He was intentionally avoiding even _looking_ at Blaine.

This was not going to help Blaine's confidence at all.

Finn looked as though he was going to decline her offer, but a stern glance from his mother made him reconsider.

"Uhhh yeah, I'll just grab a pancake and a few pieces of bacon to go." He stammered. "Is that okay Kurt?"

Kurt shrugged without looking up from his plate.

"Knock yourself out."

_Literally_.

Finn leaned over and grabbed a pancake from the stack and stuck several pieces of bacon inside of it before rolling it into a makeshift sandwich. He then proceeded to jam the entire thing into his mouth at once, making Carole's eyes widen in embarrassment.

"Fhanth uude." Finn garbled between chomps, causing several large crumbs of pancake to fall out of his mouth and onto the kitchen floor. "Iutth wully gwoob."

Kurt finally looked up when he heard the nearly incomprehensible words of appreciation from Finn and his eyes widened in disgusted horror.

"What was th…? Oh my god, Finn!" Kurt squawked. His face was scrunched up in obvious revulsion.

"That's disgusting!"

"Whua?" Finn managed, several more crumbs made their way out of his mouth and joined their comrades on the floor.

Kurt couldn't even speak.

He just continued to stare abhorrently at Finn as the awkward teen proceeded to chew sloppily until he'd swallowed down the last bite and his mouth was finally clear.

By this time, even Blaine had looked up to see what was going on. At first he'd turned his stare to Kurt, but when he saw the obviously offended look on the boy's porcelain face, his gaze drifted over (and up) to Finn and he had to consciously hold back a smile.

He watched intently as Finn reached over towards Kurt's plate, where a single pancake lay untouched next to a slice of crispy bacon.

"You gonna eat that?" Finn asked, completely oblivious to the numerous dropped jaws around him.

Kurt shook his head.

"Uhhh, no." He said sarcastically. "For _some reason_ I seem to have lost my appetite."

Finn nodded, grabbed the pancake and the slice of bacon from Kurt's plate, created yet another rolled sandwich and proceeded to scarf if down in one bite as well.

"Fweet, fhanth uude"

Kurt looked at Blaine at the exact moment the younger boy chose to redirect his glance back to Kurt and they shared a very brief exchange.

_Can you believe this guy?_

Finn cleared his throat after swallowing his mouthful and reached back over to grab Kurt's glass of orange juice.

"Do you mind…?" Finn asked.

Kurt, completely dumbfounded by this point, merely shook his head.

"By all means… help yourself." His voice was laced with hostile sarcasm, and Blaine had to once again bite his lip to keep himself from smiling.

Finn literally gulped down the orange juice, and was just about to turn and walk out of the room before a look of realization hit him and he reached into his jeans pocket.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." He said, pulling something from his pocket and setting it on the table next to Kurt. "You left this downstairs last night."

Blaine's eyes widened when he realized what the item was.

Kurt's phone.

"It's been buzzing all morning." Finn supplied casually, finally turning and walking out of the room. "Someone must have really needed to get a hold of you."

Blaine dropped his fork.

It clattered loudly onto his plate, spraying bits of scrambled eggs all over the surface of the table.

The loud crash made Carole and Burt both turn to look at him in concern.

Carole immediately noticed the look of sheer horror that had taken up residence on Blaine's face.

His cheeks had lost all color and his eyes were wide and guilt-ridden.

As soon as Finn was out of earshot, Carole set down her fork, looked at Blaine and spoke as softly and calmly as she could manage.

"Blaine honey? Are you okay?"

Her words never seemed to register with Blaine, as he continued to stare at the phone lying on the table with wide eyes.

"Honey, I'm so sorry that Finn acted that way. I talked to him a little bit last night to explain your… _situation_. Please don't be upset. He's just really confused."

"He's _always_ confused." Kurt muttered under his breath.

"I didn't tell him everything. I'll leave that up to you, if you want to… _later_." Carole continued. "He doesn't exactly understand, but he promised that none of it would leave this house."

Her eyebrows furrowed when she realized that her words were still having zero impact on the boy sitting next to her.

"Blaine? Did you hear what I said?"

Blaine's mind finally translated the words directed at him and he nodded numbly, but he continued to stare at Kurt's phone.

_Oh my god._

_He didn't…_

_Oh god._

_What have I done?_

_He's going to be so upset._

_Damn it!_

_I should never have…_

_Fuck. _

Burt and Carole turned their worried glances towards each other and both shrugged simultaneously.

Kurt, oblivious to the exchange, reached over and picked up his phone from the table and clicked the button to turn on the screen.

Blaine, watching his every move with terrified eyes, grimaced and his face fell completely into a pit of shame and guilt when Kurt released a horrified gasp.

Kurt slid a shaky finger across the bottom of the screen and his eyes widened horrifically when it flashed open. The phone slipped from his fingers and fell to the table with a loud clatter and Kurt lifted his trembling hand up to cover his gaping mouth.

"Kurt?" Burt exclaimed, his heart racing. "What the hell is going on?"

Tears began streaming down Kurt's cheeks immediately, desperate sobs slipped from his lips and he slowly turned to face Blaine as a shiver streaked up his spine.

"Kurt?" Burt repeated. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Burt's concerned words fell on deaf ears as Kurt managed to painfully lift his heavy, tear-soaked eyes up until they met Blaine's.

The boy looked completely devastated.

His face was crumpled, causing his wide eyebrows to be knit almost completely together in what looked like a combination of guilt, shame and despair. Blaine's lips were parted, just slightly, as an apology lingered on the tip of his tongue, desperate to escape. Tears had gathered in the corners of his miserable-looking, hazel eyes, and his face was white, _impossibly_ white, causing him to look as though he could pass out at any second.

"B-Blaine…" Kurt wept, shaking his head apologetically as tears continued to slide down his cheeks. "I-I'm so, so sorry."

Blaine sucked in a ragged breath at Kurt's broken words and pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth and bit down harshly.

He was trying desperately not to cry, but a single tear slipped out from its place at the corner of his eye and crept down his cheek at a painstakingly slow pace.

Kurt watched the tear slide down Blaine's cheek until it dripped off the side of his stubble-covered chin and landed on the table silently.

"Blaine…?" He tried again. His voice sounded meek and unprepared. "P-please, just say something…"

Blaine continued to stare at Kurt while his mind exploded with thoughts and memories, all horrible reminders of how much he truly needed the boy sitting across from him.

Burt and Carole both sat opposite of the two boys in complete and utter confusion.

It was the first time that Blaine had even looked at Kurt all morning and the expression on his face was almost unreadable.

_Was he angry?_

_Or was it guilt that had spread across his darkened features?_

"Blaine, please…" Kurt begged. "I didn't know… I swear, I didn't know."

The desperate pleas that slipped from Kurt's lips sent pangs of further guilt surging through Blaine's core.

_It's not his fault._

_He's trying to help me._

_He didn't know._

_It's not his fault._

Blaine's remorse-filled eyes finally flickered away from Kurt's and lolled aimlessly.

"Blaine?" Carole cut in; trying desperately to maintain what shred of composure remained.

"Whatever… _happened, _you need to know that Kurt would never hurt you, okay?"

Another broken intake of breath sliced through the silence that followed as Blaine turned to face the woman sitting across from him.

_She looks scared._

_Like she might even cry._

_Oh god._

_Why do I keep making everyone cry?_

"Blaine?" She asked again. "Did you hear what I said?"

Blaine's eyes snapped back up to meet hers once again.

_What did she say?_

_Oh right… Kurt._

He forced himself to nod once, only slightly.

"Blaine?"

This was Kurt's voice again.

It didn't sound as broken this time… But even with the hint of relief, he sounded mostly concerned and distraught.

"Blaine, please look at me."

Blaine blinked away several tears that threatened to betray him and slowly turned his head until he was once again looking solemnly into the eyes of the boy who'd done nothing wrong.

He lost himself momentarily in the wide, normally ocean blue orbs that stared back at him intently, but something wasn't quite right.

Kurt's eyes looked grey, sad and forlorn and his face was filled with sorrow and guilt.

"B-Blaine?" He sounded so young.

He sounded terrified.

"I-I didn't know."

Blaine's heart clenched at the hurt in Kurt's voice.

"Blaine, p-please… You have to believe me…" He cried again. He stood up from his chair and stepped towards the other teen and knelt in front of him. "You know I would have come to help you if I'd known…"

Blaine flinched when he felt both of Kurt's hands press gently on his knees.

"I'm so sorry." Kurt sobbed. His eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were stained with salty tear tracks. "I'm so sorry I left you. I should _never_ have left you alone."

By this time, Blaine was unable to prevent the tears from streaming down his own cheeks. A shiver snaked its way up his spine and he shuddered visibly.

_He didn't know._

_It's not his fault._

_He didn't know._

"Blaine, you know I'd never leave you, right?" Kurt tried desperately to control the pitch of his voice. He needed to sound brave and confident.

"No matter what happened to you, what they did, or how you feel. I'll never leave you."

Blaine pressed his eyes closed, forcing several more silent tears to fall.

"You know that, right?"

Still with his eyes closed, Blaine felt Kurt take his hand between his own and lace their fingers together.

The calming squeeze was enough to break down Blaine's walls.

_He won't leave me._

_I don't have to be afraid._

"Right?" The question hung thickly in the tense air.

Blaine took a deep, stuttered breath, re-opened his eyes so he was looking right at Kurt and he suddenly felt the empty expanse which had been growing in his chest begin to slowly disintegrate.

The ache that had caused his brain to feel numb and his throat to feel tight subsided and he was able to breathe again.

It took him a few seconds to convince his brain to properly communicate with his body, but eventually he allowed his fingers to reciprocate Kurt's gentle squeeze.

And he nodded.

* * *

It took a few minutes for Kurt and Burt to help Blaine into the living room and get him sitting on the much softer couch.

He'd barely eaten any breakfast, but no one was going to push him.

Blaine still hadn't spoken a word, and he was still having difficulty maintaining eye contact with anyone for extended periods of time.

This bothered Kurt.

After the discussion he'd had with his father, less than an hour prior, he was immensely concerned that he'd just shattered what little trust that Blaine had in him.

He couldn't believe what had happened.

He'd left his phone in the basement when he'd gone upstairs to be with Blaine for the night.

Blaine had evidently fallen on his way out to the kitchen and had tried to call him for help.

When he didn't answer, Blaine's obviously confused and paranoid mind had convinced itself that Kurt was ignoring his calls and texts intentionally.

It sickened Kurt to think that the boy had been laying on the floor for over fifteen minutes in agony and no one had come to help him.

Kurt couldn't help but feel horribly guilty.

_Blaine was supposed to be safe here._

Once he had Blaine situated on the couch comfortably, Kurt disappeared into the kitchen, returning minutes later with a large wooden-framed whiteboard and a handful of multi-colored dry erase pens.

Blaine looked up at him curiously when he sat down next to him and pulled the whiteboard into his lap.

"We need to talk." Kurt explained. "And I know you're not really ready to literally speak out loud, so I thought this might be the next best thing."

Blaine continued to stare at Kurt doubtfully.

"Think of it like your journal." The taller teen suggested. "You're able to write things in there that you can't say out loud, right?"

Blaine shrugged.

"The best part?" Kurt said with a devious grin. He uncapped a navy blue marker and scribbled a string of words across the board.

_**You can erase everything right after so no one else can ever read it.**_

He then uncapped a few other pens from the handful he'd brought and spent several minutes doodling a silly looking character with curly hair and triangular eyebrows wearing a bowtie before wiping the board clean with the green striped dishtowel he'd brought along.

"See?" He said, wiggling his own eyebrows with a giggle, "If you excuse my poor artistic skill, it's not so bad."

Blaine looked up at Kurt with wide eyes.

_Did he just draw… me?_

The shit-eating grin that remained plastered on Kurt's face all but answered his question.

A smile tugged at the corners of Blaine's mouth when he saw the twinkle that was nested in Kurt's eyes.

_Wait… how did he know that I love bowties? _

Afraid that he would be unable to contain the grin that was pulling at his lips, Blaine looked down at the now-empty whiteboard. Every inch of Kurt's drawing from seconds ago was gone.

Wiped clean.

There was not even a shadow of color from the pens remaining.

It looked brand new.

He couldn't believe how easy it was to start over.

_Start fresh._

_With no lingering effects._

_No tainting marks, scars, or bruises._

He brought his right index finger over and wiped it down the centre of the board slowly, before turning it over and examining it immediately after, but there was no evidence of the markers whatsoever.

"Do you wanna try?" Kurt reached over with his handful of coloured pens, offering them to Blaine.

When Blaine didn't respond or make any movement towards the pens, Kurt's heart sunk in his chest.

_I'd really hoped to cheer him up with this idea._

Suddenly, Blaine reached over and took several of the pens from Kurt's fingers, looked up at him with a devious glint in his eye and a crooked smirk and began scrawling his own picture on the whiteboard.

When he finished, Blaine sat back up and ran his tongue over the front of his teeth slyly before handing the pens back to Kurt.

Kurt accepted them with a snort.

"I'll have you know… _Mr. Anderson_…" He said in mock disgust. "Because _I_ take such good care of _my_ skin, I will still look like an angelic little baby when I'm ninety three and you… _you_ will look like an old boot."

This time Blaine was unable to capture his smile with his teeth before it snuck out, along with the tiniest of giggles.

"The hair actually looks pretty good." Kurt admitted with a chuckle. "But what's with the music notes? Am I singing in the shower?"

His face immediately turned pink.

_Nice move, Hummel… Make him think about you in the shower…_

Blaine pretended not to have caught the unintended innuendo hidden in Kurt's question and shrugged. Then he reached over and took an orange marker from Kurt's hand and wrote a new message on the board.

_**I like hearing you sing.**_

Kurt smiled.

_Maybe my plan will work after all. _

He un-capped the navy blue pen and replied directly below Blaine's printed message.

_**You're not so bad yourself.**_

Blaine looked up at Kurt with knitted brows.

He didn't have to ask, the question was written obviously on his face.

_How would you know that?_

Kurt's face pinked up once again.

_Another mention of the shower? Really Kurt?_

_I'm worse than my dad for saying stupid things at the most inopportune times._

"I… _uh_… might have heard you singing in the shower at school…"

Blaine's eyes widened and some of the color drained from his face.

He looked as though he was going to say something, but instead reached down and scribbled a hasty note on the board.

_**When**_?

"Uh… that day in the locker room. After you were beating the hell out of the punching bag and before we went for coffee?" Kurt supplied with a slightly guilty look.

_And just before I saw you wearing nothing but a towel._

_A tiny little red towel that barely covered your…_

Kurt shook himself from his thoughts and looked back at Blaine, trying to decide if he appeared embarrassed, angry or creeped out.

He was slightly surprised when Blaine looked… _curious_.

The curly-haired teen returned his orange pen to the whiteboard and scrawled another note.

_**You watched me box?**_

"Uhhh…" Kurt stuttered. "Yes."

Blaine's eyebrows knit again.

"But, not… like _stalker-ly_... or anything." Kurt fumbled. "I just had no idea you could."

Blaine shrugged.

He took the green cloth from Kurt and wiped the whiteboard clean before starting another note.

_**It was the fight club. That's how we trained.**_

Kurt nodded.

There was a minute of slightly awkward silence before Blaine decided to steer the conversation away from anything to do with Sebastian.

_**Did you really think I was good? At singing, I mean?**_

"Yes!" Kurt squeaked, maybe slightly more enthusiastically than necessary.

"Like… _really_ good, Blaine."

This time it was Blaine's face that flushed pink.

"Even if it _was_ Katy Perry." Kurt added with a wink.

He leaned over and nudged Blaine's shoulder jokingly, making Blaine blush even more.

"You shouldn't hide your voice." Kurt said moments later.

"It's beautiful."

Blaine tried to force a smile to his face, but failed miserably. He hesitated for several seconds before uncapping his pen once again.

_**I'm sorry I doubted you.**_

Kurt looked as though he was going to say something in reply, but Blaine continued scrawling his message on the board without looking up.

_**I'm just so confused about everything right now.**_

_**I should have known you'd never ignore me on purpose, Kurt.**_

_**I was just so scared that you didn't like me anymore after we talked about… stuff… last night and it really freaked me out that you didn't answer your phone.**_

_**I guess I'm just so used to getting let down by everyone around me.**_

He waited until Kurt had finished reading the last line before wiping off the board and continuing.

_**I know that I need help right now, but at the same time, I don't want to be a nuisance.**_

_**I wish I could manage things on my own. **_

_**But based on what happened this morning, it's obvious that I can't.**_

_**I wish I could just open my mouth and explain it all to you, but I can't do that either.**_

_**I'm sorry. **_

_**My mind is all messed up.**_

He wiped the board before taking a deep breath and continuing.

Kurt shuddered as he read Blaine's next words.

_**For so long I was just told to shut up. **_

_**That nothing I said even mattered.**_

_**Then, in that stupid motel room…**_

His hand hesitated as he was obviously contemplating whether or not to continue his improvised speech.

Kurt sensed his discomfort and set the rest of the markers on the coffee table before resting an encouraging hand gently on Blaine's knee next to where the whiteboard sat.

Blaine took another deep breath, nodded, and then continued.

_**They didn't like it when I screamed.**_

_**They wouldn't even let me talk.**_

_**Ever.**_

_**If I did… then…**_

Kurt allowed Blaine a few seconds to continue, but when it became apparent that he was completely lost in his own mind, he carefully took the pen out of the boy's hand and replaced the cap.

"Blaine?" He said softly, taking Blaine's now-trembling hand into his own. "You don't have to be scared here. No one is going to make you do anything. You get to be in control and make your own decisions now, okay?"

Blaine blinked repeatedly, took in an exaggerated breath before he noticed Kurt's encouraging smile and nodded.

"You don't have to talk to us if you don't want to, but just know that I…_we_ love you and we love it when you talk to us." Kurt stumbled slightly in his speech, and his face warmed as he wondered if Blaine had heard his momentary slip-up.

The pair of teens sat in silence for a few minutes before Kurt got to his feet.

"I'm going to leave the whiteboard here, in case we need it later, okay?" He said.

He wiped the board clean, carefully removing every speck of Blaine's words before he placed it along with the pens on the coffee table. "I'm just going to go downstairs and get something, okay? I'll be right back."

Blaine looked up at him and nodded.

Kurt scampered out of the room, but returned seconds later with Blaine's journal and his pen in his hands.

"Just in case you get bored while I'm gone." He explained with a wink.

He handed the leather book to Blaine, smiled and left the room once again.

* * *

Blaine looked up just as he finished his entry to see Kurt waltz back into the living room carrying his black iPod dock from his bedroom in the basement.

He plugged it in next to the couch and set it down on the coffee table before turning to look at Blaine.

"I know you're having a hard time right now Blaine, and sometimes I don't know how to talk to you either, so I'm wondering if it would be okay if I tried something else?"

Blaine pulled his lower lip in between his teeth and shrugged.

Kurt took a deep breath and took Blaine's hand into his own.

"Maybe talking is not the answer." He said thoughtfully. "Maybe I can show you the way I feel in the best, most honest way I know how."

Blaine continued to stare at Kurt with wide, unsure eyes, having no idea what the other teen was suggesting.

"May I sing for you?"

Blaine's honey hazel eyes widened immediately.

His lips parted and a gentle gasp seeped through them as he nodded without taking his eyes off the boy seated in front of him.

Kurt smiled as he reached over to the docking station and pressed play on his iPod.

Blaine's skin tingled as several deep piano notes immediately sounded only seconds before Kurt began to sing an unfamiliar, but hauntingly beautiful song.

_Take a breath_

_I pull myself together_

_Just another step until I reach the door_

_You'll never know the way it tears me up inside to see you_

_I wish that I could tell you something_

_To take it all away_

_Sometimes I wish I could save you_

_And there're so many things that I want you to know_

_I won't give up till it's over_

_If it takes you forever I want you to know_

_When I hear your voice_

_It's drowning in a whisper_

_You're just skin and bones_

_There's nothing left to take_

_And no matter what I do I can't make you feel better_

_If only I could find the answer_

_To help me understand_

_Sometimes I wish I could save you_

_And there're so many things that I want you to know_

_I wont give up till it's over_

_If it takes you forever I want you to know_

_That if you fall, stumble down_

_I'll pick you up off the ground_

_If you lose faith in you_

_I'll give you strength to pull through_

_Tell me you won't give up cause I'll be waiting if you fall_

_Oh you know I'll be there for you_

Blaine couldn't prevent the tears that were falling from his eyes during the instrumental break in the song.

Kurt's voice was strong, and proud and beautiful and the way he looked at Blaine with so much emotion in his eyes sent a torrent of chills prickling up his spine.

The lyrics were evocatively and perfectly accurate.

Blaine had never heard the song before, so he'd clung to each and every word that Kurt sang in perfect tune with the music.

As the lyrics started again, Kurt picked up Blaine's hand in his own and stared deep into his hazel eyes.

_If only I could find the answer_

_To take it all away_

_Sometimes I wish I could save you_

_And there're so many things that I want you to know_

_I wont give up till it's over_

_If it takes you forever I want you to know_

_I wish I could save you_

_I want you to know_

_I wish I could save you_

As Kurt sang the last line in the song, Blaine could no longer help himself. The tears that were now flowing freely down his cheeks were not caused by sadness or despair, but rather hope and trust.

_He really means it. _

_He's never going to leave me._

Once the music ended, Kurt reached over and soundlessly pressed pause on his iPod before turning to look at Blaine once again.

His heart warmed and he felt his throat constrict slightly when he saw for the first time, that the tiny sparkle of hope that he'd seen once before in Blaine's gorgeous hazel eyes had finally returned.

Kurt was about to speak when Blaine's voice, albeit slightly broken with emotion, filled the silence.

"T-Thank you."

Kurt had no words that could possibly justify an appropriate response; so instead, he leaned forward and took the boy into his arms and held him in a long, and tender embrace.

_I love you Blaine._

* * *

"_Save You_" by Simple Plan

Please check out Courage-Journal on Tumblr to see the note that 'Kurt' left for Blaine, Blaine's journal entries and the boy's drawings from the whiteboard (cuz they're ADORABLE)

*** Thank you DrizzleSnow for sharing your incredible talents once again ***

**Thanks for Reading and Reviewing!**


	29. I Don't Want To Hide - Part II

**Author's Note:**

*****HAPPY GLEE DAY EVERYONE!*****

**I want to apologise for how long it's taken me to post this update. I haven't even finished this chapter. (Yes… there will be a Part Three… and maybe a Four…) As I'm sure you can understand, this story requires me to be in the appropriate frame of mind to write. I sometimes find it very difficult to express myself properly and I don't want that to ever affect how I write this story. It's all planned out from now until the end and I can't risk writing when I'm not in the *mood* in fear of it affecting the outcome. So please, bear with me if you can. I promise I will NEVER abandon this story. It has become a huge part of my life and I will not leave you hanging. I promise. **

**XOXO**

**-Ryleigh Hayle**

* * *

**Ch. 27 (Part One) Review Responses:**

**Before I begin – Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed "Courage". It means a lot to me! You people are amazing!**

**DrizzleSnow** – Holysweetbabyjesus is right! Another long and amazing review by my favourite person in the world. Thank you so much for that song to use last chapter. There is a very *very* important part in this next chapter that is dedicated SOLEly to you. You'll know it when you read it. You mean the world to me. XOXO

**LaurenEP18** – Thank you so much for your review! Here's your next update!

**NotAbabyPenguin** – Thanks SO MUCH for your reviews! You're amazing!

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Thank you for finding me on Tumblr! I appreciate all the help I can get to reach more readers!

**Justanotherfangurl** – Awww! Thank you for saying such amazing things! I appreciate it! Enjoy this chapter!

**JMarieAllenPoe** – I seriously need to take a break after each of your reviews for this story. You're hilarious! (Also – I'm sorry about causing bipolar disorder 97% of the time…)

**Crapazoidwtf** – Yes… many many feels for this darn story! I appreciate (sooo much) your kind words!

**DeadlyRainbowSprinkles** – Sorry I'm so slow with your update! Here you go! ;)

**Tommseesit** – Yaaaay! A new reviewer! What a beautiful review you left for me! It means so much to me that you would take the time to say such kind things to me!

**ShadowBeauty** – Blaine really is a sad little puppy isn't he? I just love him so much! As you can see… I too am a fan of Blangst {guilty}. There will be more Blaine and Finn interaction coming in future chapters… have you checked out Blaine's Journal on Tumblr? He sometimes talks about how he's feeling on there… I think you might find some of that interesting! ;)

**Lurida** – Here we go! Sorry Sorry Sorry for being so slow!

**Tmmontp** – I really really really meant to get those results in this next chapter… but this damn story is having a runaway and I keep adding little tidbits to it that are getting in the way! I promise the answers are coming soon! Hang in there!

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Sorry to keep you waiting so long with this next chapter! It took me FORVER to get this posted! Arrrgghh! Thanks for your patience!

**Jay Li Matsuda** – I'm glad to hear from you again! Thank you so much for your review! I appreciate it sooo much! Yes… lots of development between our boys… wait until you read ***this*** chapter!

**TimF** – Your review just floored me. It was so beautiful. I got shivers from reading it. Reviews like yours encourage me to continue writing. **THANK YOU**

**Mzjem** – I'm sorry for making you cry again! Please be happy!

**GleekCow13** – I am also a big fan of the progress between our boys (believe it or not…) It's so much more fun to write happy times instead of all this angst! I promise… the ending of this chapter is going to *blow your mind*! Hang in there!

**Whovian2.0** – Thanks. So. Much! You're review made me smile so much! Thanks for your support! XOXO

**Moioui** – Thank you so much for your amazing reviews! I appreciate that you take the time to actually read between the lines and appreciate my symbolism. It means a lot to me!

* * *

Find me on Twitter: Ryleigh_Hayle

Or on Tumblr: RyleighHayle

***NEW*** - Find me on LiveJournal: Ryleigh-Hayle

I would love for you to add me and help me share my stories!

**Check out Blaine's journal on Tumblr: Courage-Journal**

* * *

**~ Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter may contain depictions of violence, coarse language and non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 27 Part Two

A multitude of tantalizing smells emanated from the kitchen, swirling together to fill the Hummel home with the most delicious aroma that Blaine had ever experienced.

His mouth was watering and he had to refrain from licking his lips as he sat silently on the stool next to the counter watching both Kurt and Carole fuss around making dinner.

Kurt had tried to convince him to sit on the couch in the living room and watch the football game with Burt and Finn but Blaine had simply shaken his head and followed him into the kitchen.

Blaine had been doing so well after his and Kurt's 'talk' using the whiteboard a few days prior. He didn't look as terrified, his walking had improved to the point where he barely needed anyone to help him, and Kurt had even caught him smiling a few times.

They'd played a 'family' game of Pictionary a few nights ago and Blaine had looked more relaxed then when Kurt had first met him. He didn't speak a word during the game, but his eyes were wide and sparkling as the foursome scribbled their pictures on their whiteboards and guessed each other's creations.

But it was almost as though something had happened since then that wiped away this progress and caused Blaine's skittishness and terrified eyes to return. Blaine had refused to eat any dinner the night before and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone at the table.

Since Kurt had first recognized the sudden regression, he'd also noticed that Blaine had literally refused to leave his side.

Then last night, Blaine had fearfully asked him lock the bedroom door before they went to sleep.

That's when Kurt knew for sure that something was wrong.

Blaine hardly slept at all; even with Kurt nestled beside him on the small bed holding his hand, the terrified boy had tossed and turned for most of the night.

It was as though something had shaken him to his core.

Blaine's unusual behaviour caused Kurt's heart to ache. He'd been certain that they'd been making progress.

But now it was as though Blaine was back to his original, terrified self and that scared Kurt more than anything.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit in the living room?" Kurt asked him for the third time. "It's much softer in there."

Blaine shook his head, strategically avoiding Kurt's watchful eye.

He grabbed the whiteboard from the table and began scribbling furiously using a orange dry erase marker.

_**Is there anything I can do to help?**_

Kurt smiled.

_He's trying so hard to be brave._

_But I know there's something wrong._

"Actually, I think we're almost ready." He said with a grin. "Aren't we, Carole?"

Carole turned around from her place in front of the stove where she'd been stirring at the pan of gravy that bubbled peacefully.

"Yes!" She replied cheerfully, wiping her hands on the olive green apron that was already covered in food stains of different colors and textures. She and Kurt had been fussing around the kitchen all afternoon to prepare an extravagant feast. There was more food being prepared than Blaine had ever seen before.

Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixing's.

Even though it was nearly December, Carole had excitedly announced at dinner the night before that she would be cooking the meal that they'd missed for the actual holiday.

Blaine had smiled when Carole had relayed her plan, but he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of guilt.

The Hummels and Hudsons had missed out on _real_ Thanksgiving because they'd been at the hospital with him.

However, he knew he should appreciate it, so he slapped on a fake smile and nodded encouragingly.

"Blaine?" Carole asked, bringing him back to the present. She brought a large stainless steel pot over to the counter where he sat watching. "Would you like to help me mash the turnips?"

He nodded, looking up at her with a weak smile.

_Yes, I can at least do that much._

"Great!" She exclaimed, handing him the silicon potato masher. She pulled the lid off and Blaine was hit by a wave of steam billowing off the golden vegetables as he leaned forward to peer inside the pot.

He'd never tasted turnips before.

They looked like… _funny coloured_ _potatoes_.

Even with his left arm in its sling, Blaine was able to start mashing the turnips without much difficulty.

"Great anger management tool, I say." Carole quipped with a wink.

Blaine nodded with a tiny grin and continued his quest to mash every piece of turnip to a pulp. When Carole returned minutes later, she peeked into the pot with a satisfied smile.

"Looks great!" She praised. "Shall we add in some butter and brown sugar now?"

Blaine looked up at her, puzzled.

_Brown sugar? _

_In potatoes?_

Carole immediately recognized his confusion and leaned down close to him so she could whisper in his ear.

"Shhh…" She hushed as she dumped a large scoop of brown sugar into the pot, followed by what Blaine would have considered an unhealthy amount of butter. "Don't tell Kurt. He's such a stickler for healthy food."

She handed the spoon back to Blaine, who started folding the new ingredients into his pile of perfectly mashed turnips.

"He'll never know…" Carole added with a devious grin before returning the plate of butter to the table.

Blaine turned around to finish mixing the turnips with a smile.

"Did you do much cooking at home?" Carole asked from next to him when she returned to check his progress.

Without looking up, Blaine pulled the spoon out and tapped it gently on the side of the pot to knock the bits of turnip back in as he shook his head.

Carole immediately recognized the sadness that filled his averted eyes.

"We're going to have to change that!" She quickly added with a smile. "Kurt is an amazing cook, so you'll have to get him to teach you a few new recipes."

Blaine finally looked up at Carole, keeping her gaze for several seconds longer than he probably should have.

He knew exactly what she was trying to do.

Carole was trying to make him feel welcome.

Trying to get him to forget all that had happened and focus on the future, not the past.

He appreciated the gesture, but it didn't stop the constant ache that filled his chest.

Blaine forced a smile to his face and nodded sadly.

_I wish it were that easy to make this all go away._

His facial expression spoke a thousand words that his lips couldn't and Carole placed a loving hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to get you through this, Blaine." She said in a voice soft enough for only him to hear, and she pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his forehead.

"I promise."

* * *

"Blaine, you and Kurt can take your plates into the living room if you like." Burt offered as he pulled out his chair at the table once everything was set for dinner. "It's much softer in there."

Finn's head snapped up as he reached across the table to pluck a dill pickle from the crystal serving dish across from him.

"What?" He sounded exasperated. "Why do _they_ get to? I never get to eat in there!"

Blaine's eyes widened and his breath caught, but before he could even look towards Kurt for support, Burt's deep voice filled the tense air from the other side of the table.

"_Finn_." The single word hung in the air dauntingly and sounded much like a warning.

Kurt immediately sensed Blaine's discomfort, and he shot Finn daggers with his narrowed eyes before turning to face Blaine who remained standing next to him stalk-still.

"Don't listen to anything _he_ has to say." Kurt changed his tone to try and sound less agitated and more optimistic before continuing. "Would you like to sit in the living room, Blaine?"

Blaine looked up uncomfortably from where he stood.

Everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to answer.

The fingers on his right hand began fumbling nervously with the hem of his T-shirt as he considered Kurt's offer.

_It would feel much better if I could sit on the couch, but I don't want them to feel like I refuse to spend time with them._

_I don't want them to be uncomfortable in their own home._

_I'm only a guest here._

_Carole went through all of this trouble to make this wonderful meal, so I'm not going to act like a spoiled little brat._

Without making eye contact with Kurt, Blaine shook his head hesitantly.

"Okay, great." Kurt forced a smile to his face as he reached over and pulled out Blaine's chair for him. Once the boy was settled, he pulled out his own chair and sat down next to him.

Finn was just about to reach for a large glass bowl heaped with mashed potatoes when Burt cleared his throat, making the gangly quarterback freeze and withdraw his hand once again.

"Kurt and I have a Thanksgiving tradition…" The elder Hummel started.

"But, it not even _real_ Thanksgiving." Finn interrupted, sounding annoyed.

This time it was Carole who shot Finn an unimpressed glare, which effectively silenced him.

"We always take a moment before we eat to say what we're most thankful for." Burt continued, clearly ignoring Finn's outburst. "And since we've been blessed with a few new members of our family, I think it only makes sense to share the tradition." He winked at Carole, while taking her hand into his own above the table.

Blaine sunk lower into his seat.

_I shouldn't be here._

_I'm imposing on their family._

_It's my fault they missed the real Thanksgiving._

_No wonder Finn hates me so much._

Blaine startled slightly when he felt Kurt lace his fingers into his own.

He immediately sat up straighter in his chair and looked over to his right where Kurt was looking right at him, with the softest, most gentle smile on his flawless face.

_Are you okay?_

Kurt didn't even need to speak for Blaine to hear the words.

He felt Kurt's fingers gently squeeze his hand as he gave him a very subtle nod.

_You're welcome here Blaine. You're part of this family and we want you to be here._

Blaine's face contorted into an emotional frown but he allowed his fingers to reciprocate the gentle embrace as he gulped and nodded silently, still fixated on Kurt's eyes.

They held each other's gaze for nearly a full minute before they realized that Burt was still speaking.

"…happy to have everyone here, together where we all belong."

Carole smiled and leaned over to press a gentle kiss to Burt's cheek, which made the bald man turn an amusing shade of pink.

"I'm also very thankful for this new chapter in my life story, but also to have the opportunity to meet up with a very special old friend." She moved her gaze towards Blaine and offered him yet another loving wink.

"I am thankful for turkey." Finn said abruptly. "And the potatoes too. And maybe the stuffing and peas as well. But not the turnips, they're gross."

Burt looked mildly amused at the teenager's words, while both Kurt and Carole simply rolled their eyes.

Blaine kept his head down, but he felt Kurt squeeze his fingers underneath the table before the taller teen began to speak.

"I'm thankful that Blaine is here with us, and that he's safe and sound. I'm thankful that he's beginning to feel better and stronger and that he knows that he's always welcome here, as part of our family."

Blaine's mouth dropped open just slightly as Kurt's heartfelt words filled the silence.

Tear prickled at the corners of his eyes and his chest grew tight with emotion.

_I think he really meant that._

He dared himself to look up at the rest of the people sitting across the table from him and a chill-inducing shiver blasted up his spine when he realized they were smiling.

Blaine's breath caught and his lower lip trembled slightly as his eyes darted hesitantly from face to face.

Even Finn was looking at him.

_It's my turn._

_They want me to say something I'm thankful for._

Blaine's heart began to race as he struggled to maintain his composure. His breaths began coming in shorter, less effective puffs and his hands grew cold and clammy.

_I have to talk. _

_Say something._

_Anything._

Another shiver shrilled up his spine and he felt himself physically begin to tremble.

_Talk!_

_If I don't say something, they're going to think I don't care about them…_

_Say something! _

_Stop being so stupid and just talk!_

"K-Kurt."

Blaine's voice was harsh and raspy and he spoke so quietly that Burt and Carole exchanged glances to confirm that he'd even spoken at all.

He looked up from the table, with almost as much shock on his face as everyone else's.

_Oh shit. _

_Now what? _

_Oh god, they're still looking at me._

Blaine looked back down at the table and allowed his eyes to slip closed while his brain searched desperately for the right words.

"I-I'm t-thankful for K-Kurt."

_Wow. That was brilliant. _

_Idiot! _

_What were you thinking? _

_Now they're all going to…_

"Thank you, Blaine." Burt said, trying his best to sound calm. He couldn't believe that Blaine had actually spoken, but he didn't want to make too much of a big deal out of it, for fear of causing Blaine to feel awkward.

Well… _more_ awkward.

"Shall we eat, everyone?" Carole smiled as she picked up the bowl of stuffing and handed it towards Burt.

Everyone nodded in agreement, seeming to pick up on Burt's approach to helping Blaine settle in at the table.

Blaine felt Kurt give his fingers another gentle squeeze before he lifted his hand up and began passing the dishes around the table.

"Blaine, I'll hold the bowls for you if you want to dish up your plate." Kurt said smoothly, indicating to the sling on Blaine's shoulder.

Blaine looked at Kurt and nodded shyly.

Kurt lifted up the heavy bowl of mashed potatoes with both hands and held it in front of Blaine, who picked up the serving spoon and placed a tiny helping onto the middle of his plate before replacing the spoon back into the dish.

Kurt looked at the almost insignificant dollop of fluffy white potatoes and grinned.

"You can take as much as you want. You get to choose what you eat, Blaine."

Blaine hesitated, but then picked up the spoon once again and set a second tiny mound onto his plate.

They continued like this, with Kurt holding each of the dishes for Blaine to help himself to, although he only took tiny amounts of each dish.

Kurt secretly wondered if Blaine felt obligated to try each dish, or if he actually liked everything he and Carole had prepared, but he wasn't going to bring it up.

After several minutes of quiet munching, Kurt broke the silence.

"Oh Carole! These turnips are amazing!" He carefully inspected the small mound of golden turnips that rested on the end of his fork. "I've never been able to make them taste _this_ _good_, what's your secret?"

Carole and Blaine immediately turned to each other and exchanged an amused glance.

"Blaine made them actually." Carole explained proudly. "He must have a special touch." She turned back towards the curly-haired teen and gave him a devious wink, which made the corners of Blaine's lips turn up just slightly and a tiny sparkle appeared in his eyes.

Kurt turned in his seat until he was facing Blaine and once again took his hand under the table.

"Whatever you did, you did it perfectly. They taste amazing."

Carole couldn't help but smile as he saw the slight blush return to Blaine's cheeks.

There was a lot more depth and meaning to that single bowl of turnips than she'd ever planned.

Several more minutes passed, silent apart from Finn's obnoxiously loud chewing, until Burt cleared his throat.

"So boys…" He began. His tone indicated that he clearly wasn't looking forward to whatever it was he was about to say. "There's something that Carole and I need to talk to you about."

Blaine looked up at Burt with wide eyes.

_Uh oh. _

_Is he going to kick me out?_

_Have I done something wrong?_

"I know you two don't want to hear this, but it's time…"

Kurt and Blaine exchanged worried looks.

"Kurt?" Burt looked at his son solemnly.

Everyone was silent as Kurt looked up at his dad hesitantly.

_Is he going to make me sleep downstairs again?_

"Uhhh… yeah?"

"You need to go back to school tomorrow."

Kurt's jaw dropped.

"What?" He exclaimed. "But…"

"I know you don't want to go, but you've missed a lot of days already." Burt sounded like he'd rehearsed this speech.

"But I've been doing my homework! I'm probably ahead of half the class!"

"I know buddy, but…"

Kurt didn't let him finish.

"I can't leave Blaine here alone!"

Blaine ducked down in his seat. His heart was jumping out of his chest.

_Kurt has to go to school._

_He's not going to be here with me._

_I'm going to be alone._

"Sweetie…I have tomorrow off, so Blaine and I can spend the day together and we'll be just fine." Carole jumped in. "Won't we Blaine?"

Blaine's head shot up.

_No! _

_I want him to stay. _

_Please let him stay with me!_

Blaine's breath caught as he tried to muster the strength to nod his head.

"Blaine?" Carole asked again. "You'll be okay here with me tomorrow, right?"

Blaine gulped and blinked frantically, willing his tears away.

_Fake it. _

_Tell them you'll be fine._

_Fake it!_

It was the most unconvincing nod Carole had ever seen.

Sensing Blaine's discomfort, she immediately continued explaining their plan.

"We already spoke with Principal Figgins. He's going to allow Kurt to keep his phone with him in class as long as he keeps it on mute." She explained. "Then, in case something happens, _which I'm sure it won't_, we'll be able to get in contact with him."

Blaine nodded numbly.

_I can do this. _

_I'm not a baby. _

_I can get through a few hours without Kurt._

_Can't I?_

Blaine tried desperately to keep his composure. His eyes stung and his chest ached with fear and emotion and he felt like he wanted to start shouting. Then another thought hit him, and caused his stomach to lurch violently.

_Sebastian._

_What if he goes to McKinley to look for me? _

_What if he finds out I'm staying with Kurt?_

Kurt released a defeated huff next to him, having finally realized that he was fighting a losing battle with his father and turned to face Blaine, taking his hand into his own.

"It'll be okay." He lied. "You can call me or text me whenever you need to, alright?"

Blaine blinked away several more tears, swallowed the lump of uncertainty that rested in his throat, and nodded.

Carole frowned. Blaine was obviously _not_ okay with their plan.

As much as she knew it was necessary for Kurt to return to school, it hurt her soul to think about taking anything away from Blaine when so much had been stolen from him already.

It had been a strange afternoon. Blaine had seemed significantly more distant than he had been over the past few days. She wasn't sure what had happened to cause him to retract back into himself, but he wasn't smiling as much as he had been during the game of Pictionary.

He looked somewhat terrified.

Carole had noticed Blaine glance towards the front door several times and she also saw him checking his cell phone frequently throughout the morning.

_Something is wrong. _

_He's scared again._

She watched sadly as Blaine pushed the small bits of food around his plate with his fork.

_The poor boy has barely eaten anything._

The sudden high-pitched shrill of the doorbell seconds later confirmed Carole's suspicions.

Blaine's fork slipped from his fingers, and it clattered onto his plate, causing several peas to fly off his plate and roll harmlessly across the table.

He immediately sat up in his seat with wide, terror-filled eyes, and his breathing rate quickened instantaneously.

"I'll get it." Burt announced, pushing his chair back from the table.

Blaine squeezed his fingers around the seat of his chair as another shiver snaked its way up his spine.

_Oh god. _

_He's here. _

_Sebastian found me._

"Blaine, honey?" Carole asked worriedly. "Are you alright?"

_He's going to be so mad at me._

_I can't let him hurt Kurt._

"Blaine?"

This time it was Kurt talking to him, from directly beside him but Blaine heard nothing.

_He's going to make me leave here._

_I don't want to go._

Blaine flinched violently when Kurt placed his hand onto his shoulder.

"Blaine? It's j-just me. It's Kurt."

Kurt's eyes were wide and afraid. Blaine hadn't zoned out like this in days.

_What is going on?_

_Why is he so scared?_

Before Kurt could come up with anything further, Burt's voice echoed from the front entrance.

"Blaine? It's for you!"

Every speck of color drained from the teen's face and he suddenly felt extremely light-headed.

_He's really here._

_How did he find me?_

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice sounded desperate. "P-please… just look at me. What's going on?"

The terrified sound of Kurt's broken words finally registered and snapped Blaine from his trance.

He turned his head until he was looking right at Kurt with tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"I-I d-don't wanna g-go."

Kurt's eyes widened at Blaine's fractured plea. His voice was lower than a whisper, but sounded coarse and cracked as though he was tittering on the verge of a breakdown.

Kurt had no idea what to say.

_What does he mean?_

_Go where?_

_He doesn't want to answer the door?_

"Blaine…" He cried, his own voice breaking with emotion. "You don't have to go anywhere. I-It's okay." Kurt reached his hand slowly, as not to started the boy once again, until his fingers rested gently on Blaine's shoulder. "You're safe here. You don't have to go anywhere."

After seeing the exchange, Carole stood up from the table and quickly rushed out to the front entrance, leaving Kurt to try and calm Blaine down, and a very confused looking Finn sitting at the table.

"Blaine?" Kurt brought his other hand up and gently ran his thumb down Blaine's cheek, wiping away a trail of tears. "Can you hear me?"

Through stuttered breaths and frightened sobs, Blaine forced his eyes up to meet Kurt's and he nodded.

"Stay with me, okay?" Kurt instructed. "Just keep breathing."

Another hesitant nod.

"That's perfect. In and out… just like that." He praised. "You're doing so good."

The sound of the front door closing broke Blaine's concentration and he turned his head towards the front entrance with wild, terrified eyes.

"Shhh…" Kurt whispered, using both his hands to guide Blaine's face back towards his own. "It's just you and me, okay? Just us."

He brought his face towards Blaine's until their foreheads met.

"Just you and me, Blaine. Focus on you and me."

Tears pooled down Blaine's cheeks, and he closed his eyes, desperate to hear only Kurt's voice and not the echoes of the voices that haunted him.

"That's it, sweetheart." Kurt praised, wiping away each of Blaine's tears with his delicate thumbs. "Just feel me here, okay? I'm not going anywhere and neither are you."

Blaine nodded against Kurt's forehead, and really focused on the other teen's words. He could feel the warmth from Kurt's face absorbing into his own skin and it comforted him.

_I'm safe._

_Sebastian can't hurt me anymore._

The pair of teens remained in that position for another full minute until Kurt gently pulled his face away from Blaine's. The sudden loss of contact and warmth left Blaine with a longing feeling of emptiness, and he instinctively opened his eyes.

He stared at Kurt for several seconds, completely entranced by his pale blue eyes.

Blaine's heart warmed when he realized that there was no hint of disappointment, anger or fear in the blue eyes that stared back at him but rather love, honesty and complete trust.

_Trust_.

_I should have trusted him._

_I should have told him that Sebastian texted me._

_I shouldn't hide things from him._

"Are you okay?" Kurt had regained his composure and his voice sounded controlled and strong.

Blaine released a heavy breath and nodded.

"Would you like me to go see who's at the door for you?"

Blaine's eyes widened. He'd almost forgotten about the person at the door.

_No._

_You can't._

_He'll hurt you if he finds out about you._

As if reading his mind, Kurt returned his hand to Blaine's and laced their fingers together once again.

"It's okay." He said quickly. "I won't go."

Blaine looked deeply into Kurt's eyes.

_You promise?_

"I promise."

Less than a minute later Burt returned, having obviously been informed of Blaine's episode.

He saw that Finn was still sitting at the table, with a look of utter bewilderment written on his face, while Kurt and Blaine seemed to be lost in each other's eyes.

"Hey guys." He said with a forced smile. "How are we all doing?"

Blaine and Kurt immediately broke their stare and turned their heads to see Burt standing awkwardly in the doorway to the kitchen.

Carole entered the kitchen several moments later, holding a beautiful arrangement of yellow daisies in a wicker basket. In the middle of the bunch of daisies, was a large '_Get Well Soon_' helium balloon covered in smiley faces and an adorable little white puppy.

Upon further inspection, Blaine realized that it was not a real puppy, but rather one constructed from white carnations, complete with little black eyes and a nose. The 'puppy' even had a small pink plastic bandage stuck to its paw.

"This was just delivered for you Blaine!" Carole said excitedly. "Isn't he precious?"

Blaine stared blankly at the flowers.

_For me?_

_Someone sent flowers for me?_

Carole immediately identified his hesitation and filled in the blanks.

"It was only a delivery man at the door. He brought these lovely flowers just for you, Blaine." Her voice remained smooth as she tried to reassure the timid boy in front of her.

She walked towards him with the flowers and knelt down until she was eye level with him and took his hand.

"It's okay, Blaine." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "No one is going to hurt you here."

Blaine's eyes widened as he considered her words.

_Does she know?_

_Did she see the texts from Sebastian?_

"There's a card here." She continued softly. "Would you like to open it and see who they're from?"

Blaine gulped.

_Is this a trick?_

_What if they're from Sebastian?_

Kurt squeezed his hand. "Go ahead, Blaine."

Blaine nodded hesitantly, but reached over and pulled the small white envelope from the thin clear plastic fork that was wedged into the basket.

His fingers trembled slightly as he opened the envelope and pulled out the tiny card.

_Please don't say Sebastian._

_Please don't say Sebastian._

Blaine's hazel eyes skimmed through the elegantly written words on the small card and he let out an audible sigh of relief.

* * *

_**Dear Blaine,**_

_**I hope you are feeling better.**_

_**I remember you saying that you've always wanted **_

_**a puppy, so I thought I'd get you one.**_

_**Take care of yourself!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Abby**_

* * *

"Blaine? Is everything okay?" Kurt asked from beside him. "Who are they from?"

Blaine closed his eyes and took another deep breath allowing the tension to seep out of his shoulders.

_Abby._

_They're from Abby._

_Not Sebastian._

_He's not here. _

He turned to Kurt and handed him the card, who, after reading it silently broke into a wide grin.

"Abby!" Kurt announced excitedly. "The flowers are from Abby!"

An almost palpable wave of relief flooded through the kitchen.

Blaine couldn't help but smile slightly at Kurt's enthusiasm as he ran his fingers over the intricately placed flowers in the arrangement.

_It's going to be okay._

_There's no way that Sebastian knows I'm here._

_I'm safe with them._

Carole lifted her hand up and ran her thumb down Blaine's cheek.

"See? Everything is okay, Blaine." She said softly. "We're all doing just fine."

She stood back up, and with Kurt's help, they rearranged the dishes so there was room for the large basket of flowers to sit proudly in the middle of the table.

They finished their meal cheerfully, with the tension all but gone from the room. Blaine ended up eating everything on his plate (including a second small helping of turnips) and watched silently as Kurt and Finn bantered back and forth and Burt rambled on about football.

But he couldn't help himself from constantly peeking back at the beautiful basket of flowers sitting in the middle of the table.

_His_ flowers.

* * *

Once dinner was done and the dishes were cleaned and put away, Finn and Burt retreated back into the living room to watch the end of the football game.

Carole dumped a jigsaw puzzle onto the kitchen table and began turning the pieces right side up, and Kurt announced that he was going to work on some homework that Finn had brought home for him.

After Kurt disappeared down the hallway, Blaine sat at the table across from Carole and fidgeted with a loose thread on the seam of his sling.

"Would you like to help me with the puzzle Blaine?" Carole asked, sensing that the teenager needed a distraction. It still astounded her how 'lost' he became whenever Kurt was not sitting right next to him.

It also kind of worried her.

Was Blaine _actually_ going to be able to get through the day tomorrow without Kurt by his side?

Blaine looked towards the doorway leading to the hallway, and when it was confirmed that Kurt was not going to reappear any time soon, he turned back and nodded sadly.

He sat at the table, soundlessly turning the pieces of the puzzle over until Carole broke the silence.

"He's really important to you, isn't he?"

Blaine glanced up and then turned his head to look beside him, wondering if she was talking to him or someone else.

"I mean Kurt." Carole smiled. "He's very special to you isn't he?"

Blaine nodded.

"You're lucky to have found him Blaine." She continued. "You guys are a perfect fit."

Blaine's face grew warm and he looked away shyly.

Carole picked up an odd shaped puzzle piece from the table and inspected it carefully.

"He's your missing puzzle piece, isn't he?" She asked.

Blaine's head shot up.

"He fits together with you perfectly. He fills in all the spaces that you have, and you do the same for him."

He cocked his head to the side as he listed intently as Carole continued.

"You've been through a lot, Blaine. More than any one person should ever have to deal with. But you're still here. You're still fighting. That tells me that you're strong and that you won't give up." She reached across the table and took Blaine's hand into her own. "I know that you still have a lot to think about and a lot to process, but you need to know that Kurt is always going to be there to help you through. Just like all of us are too."

Blaine nodded his head slowly.

"He cares about you too, Blaine. He needs you as much as you need him. He's been through a lot as well and he looks to you for strength just like you do with him. That's why you guys are so good together. You balance each other out. I don't think you even realize how much you've done for him already, Blaine. You've helped him grow and become strong, just like you are."

Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_I'm strong?_

_Kurt is the one I rely on to keep me going._

_I'm not strong at all._

"Have you ever heard of the soulmate theory, Blaine?"

He furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"The research that I've done recently basically says that it's very rare, but sometimes people are fortunate enough to meet someone that they're instantly drawn to. They immediately feel a connection with this person that is stronger than any friendship. I even found out that it might be someone who you've known in a past life if you believe in reincarnation. It said that your soulmate is someone who you may have shared the emotional and physical experiences of many lifetimes together. Does that make sense?"

Blaine's eyes were wide, but he shrugged and nodded slightly.

_What does this have to do with me and Kurt?_

"Anyways…" Carole continued. "The theory essentially says that the relationship between soulmates may or may not be a romantic or physical, but it's always an emotional connection. I read that many soulmates are brought together to assist one another through challenging times and can help each other grow stronger. It also said that true soulmates will love each other unconditionally and will see each other's virtues, rather than their weaknesses and will always be the little 'spark' the other needs to improve themselves."

The blank look on Blaine's face worried Carole.

_I'm not getting through to him at all, am I?_

"Blaine…" She sighed. "Basically what I wanted to tell you was that I think you and Kurt have something very special. You were drawn to each other for a reason, and I think that reason was for you to help each other through these difficult times. I've seen the way that you connect with each other and honestly it blows my mind. But I've also seen how much it physically pains you to be apart from him, and vice versa, and that concerns me. So… I'm going to ask you a question now, and you don't have to answer it if you don't want to, but you can trust me, okay?"

Blaine gulped and nodded hesitantly.

"You're really afraid to be separated from Kurt tomorrow while he's at school, aren't you?"

Blaine's face fell as though he'd temporarily forgotten about that detail but reality had just come crashing back down.

He shoulders sunk and he dropped his gaze back down to the table and drew his bottom lip in between his teeth.

After a few seconds, he swallowed the lump in his throat, took a deep breath and looked back up at Carole before nodding slowly.

"It's okay honey." She reassured him. "I expected you to have a hard time with this. He's been with you ever since… well…ever since you were in the hospital."

Blaine's face contorted into a look that Carole could only describe as shamed. She reached across the table and squeezed his fingers between her own.

"Blaine. There's nothing wrong with needing someone to take care of you right now. Like I said, you've been though a _lot_. But you have to let us in. Tell me… or… _show_ me what it is you're feeling so I can help." Carole said softly. She picked up the whiteboard that sat on the table next to her and passed it to Blaine. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, sweetheart."

Blaine looked at the blank whiteboard and considered his options.

_I should tell her what's going on with Sebastian. She won't get mad at me._

_But what if she tells Kurt?_

_I don't want Kurt to worry about me all the time._

"Blaine?" Carole asked quietly. "I've noticed that you've been acting a little… _different_… since last night. Did something happen?"

Blaine's face fell into a grimace.

_I think she already knows._

He hesitated for only a minute before he looked up at the woman sitting across from him and nodded sadly.

"Okay…" She started softly. "Would you like to tell me about it?"

Blaine gulped and his eyes shifted away from hers.

_I should tell her._

_Maybe she can help me._

He reached into the arm of his sling and slowly pulled out his phone without looking back up at Carole. After staring at the black un-illuminated screen, he cautiously slid his finger across the touch screen to open the lock and tapped a few times until the multiple unanswered messages from Sebastian were on the screen.

A violent shiver snaked up Blaine's spine as he re-read Sebastian's accusatory words.

"May I see it?" Carole asked.

Blaine finally lifted his eyes until they reach hers and he frowned before reaching across the table with trembling fingers and handing her his phone.

Carole took only a few seconds to read the messages before sighing sadly.

"Who are they from?"

Blaine parted his lips to speak but no words came out.

He couldn't say his name out loud.

If he said it out loud, it would make this all real.

"Is it Sebastian?"

Blaine's breath caught and he looked up at Carole in alarm.

"It's him, isn't it?" She asked softly.

Blaine nodded, but couldn't return her stare. He hated that Carole's usually friendly green eyes looked sad.

"Have you told Kurt?"

Blaine immediately lifted his widened eyes and shook his head.

_He can't know!_

_Please don't tell him!_

"It's okay, sweetie." Carole said quickly. "I won't tell him unless you want me to."

Blaine shook his head again.

Carole sighed. "I won't say anything to Kurt." She promised. "But I think you should, eventually."

The teenager sitting across from her grimaced at her suggestion.

"Is it okay if I talk to Burt about this?" She asked.

Blaine's triangular eyebrows immediately knit tightly on his forehead.

"I'll make him promise not to tell Kurt…" She added hopefully.

Blaine gulped again but when he finally looked up at her, he was met by Carole's wide green eyes, which were filled with care and concern.

_I can trust her._

He nodded.

Carole released a heavy sigh of relief.

"Thank you for trusting me, Blaine."

He nodded slowly.

"Has he said anything else? Have you talked to him?"

Blaine shook his head.

"You haven't answered any of his texts?"

Another headshake.

Carole thought for a moment.

"This is why you didn't sleep last night, isn't it?"

Blaine chewed on his lower lip for a brief moment before nodding.

"And this is why you've been so jumpy." She concluded. "You were afraid he was going to come find you, or harm Kurt weren't you?"

Another hesitant nod.

"Oh honey." Carole said sadly. She stood up from her chair and walked around the table until she was next to Blaine and knelt so she was at eye level with him.

"You don't have to be scared anymore." She explained softly. "Seb- …_he_ won't find you here and he won't do anything to harm Kurt while he's at school."

Blaine looked up at her with tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He reached over for the whiteboard, uncapped a green marker and scribbled with trembling fingers.

_**I don't want him to take me away from here.**_

Carole's eyes sunk closed for the briefest of seconds as she considered her words.

"Blaine." She said calmly. "No one is going to take you away. Not Sebastian, not anyone… okay?"

Blaine gulped and nodded unconvincingly.

She lifted her hands and placed them on either side of Blaine's face, and gently tilted his chin until they were eye-to-eye once again.

"I promise." She said confidently.

Blaine sighed audibly before nodding again, this time with slightly more conviction.

Carole stood up from the floor, erased Blaine's words from the whiteboard with the sleeve of her sweater and moved a chair closer to the teen before taking a seat.

"Now…" She said cheerfully. "Do you think you and I can finish this puzzle before Kurt gets home from school tomorrow?"

Blaine looked at the hundreds of unturned pieces of puzzle on the table and shrugged doubtfully.

Carole grinned. "Shall we get started?"

* * *

It was more than a half hour later when Kurt re-emerged from the hallway with a satisfied smirk.

"All done, honey?" Carole asked with a knowing smile.

"Yup." Kurt answered proudly. Blaine noticed that there was a sparkle in his eyes.

He sat down at the table across from Blaine and was happy to see the younger teen busily searching for pieces of the puzzle to put together.

The threesome worked quietly on the puzzle for quite a while until an exhausted yawn from Blaine drew Kurt's full attention.

"You ready for bed?" Kurt asked with a smile.

Blaine nodded sheepishly.

"Great!" Kurt said happily. "I have something to show you!"

Blaine looked at Carole for any indication that she might know about what Kurt was talking about.

The friendly woman grinned but shrugged her shoulders innocently.

She totally knew.

Kurt helped Blaine up and they slowly walked towards Blaine's bedroom.

"Are you ready?" Kurt asked excitedly.

Blaine's eyebrows formed inquisitive triangles on his forehead, but he couldn't prevent the slight smile that appeared on his face.

Whatever it was, Kurt was excited about it…

Kurt opened up the door to the bedroom and switched on the light before Blaine walked in, looking anxiously around to see something new and exciting.

Everything looked… _exactly the same as when he'd left it._

Blaine turned back towards Kurt completely puzzled and shrugged.

_I don't get it._

"I know that you've been having some trouble sleeping, so I had Carole do a little shopping for me today."

Blaine looked even more confused.

"Lay down."

Blaine's head snapped up.

Huh?

"Trust me on this one…" Kurt giggled.

Blaine walked over and lowered himself onto the bed.

"Roll onto your back." Kurt instructed, before adding a rushed "Please."

Blaine did as he was told.

"You ready?" Kurt couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.

A near-silent laugh escaped Blaine's lips when he saw that Kurt was literally bouncing on the tips of his toes in anticipation.

_What in the world…_

"Close your eyes."

Blaine relaxed into the pillow behind his head and allowed his eyes to drift closed.

"I have to shut the lights off." Kurt informed him.

Blaine nodded with his eyes closed tightly. He felt the room grow dark the moment Kurt switched off the light. His heart was pounding in his chest as his mind tried desperately to solve Kurt's mystery.

"Okay…" Kurt said elatedly. Blaine could hear him eagerly clapping his hands together.

"You can open your eyes now."

When Blaine finally slid his eyes open, he tried to blink several times to clear his vision of the sparkles that appeared in front of him.

But they didn't go away.

He shook his head a few times before focusing his eyes once again on the sparkles.

Blaine gasped when he realised that the sparkles weren't really sparkles at all.

They were stars.

Hundreds and hundreds of shining yellow stars filled his vision. There were so many of them that a gentle golden glow illuminated the room just slightly.

Do you like them?" Kurt asked, jumping onto the bed next to him and rolling onto his back so he too could look at his handiwork.

Blaine was speechless.

Not just his usual inability to speak, he wasn't even able to form the words in his mind.

Tears slid down his cheeks as he looked across the ceiling of his bedroom. Every inch was covered in beautiful golden stars. Kurt had even stuck some of the stickers on the corners of the walls to create a 3D effect.

It was… _spectacular_.

The darkness of the room, combined with the intricate placing of each of the stars created an endless looking mirage of the night sky.

"I know you said that you missed the stars at Dalton, and that they helped you sleep at night." Kurt explained, still looking up at the hundreds of golden stickers. "But dad wouldn't let me put in a skylight, so I figured this would be the next best thing."

When Blaine didn't reply, Kurt hesitated for a moment before turning in the bed to face the other teen.

"Is it silly?"

Several more tears, although unseen in the dark, streaked down Blaine's face like falling stars.

"It's perfect."


	30. I Don't Want To Hide - Part III

**And so this lengthy chapter continues…**

**Ch. 27 (Part Two) Review Responses:**

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my companion piece 'Courage'. And to everyone who is interacting with 'Blaine' on his Tumblr. It means so much to me! You guys are all so inspiring!**

**DrizzleSnow** – Your reviews make me smile. Every time, without fail. I love that you pick up on the little things. My symbolism. It means the world to me. **YOU** mean the world to me. Thank you for being my stars. XOXO

**Crowned queen of bitchland** – Awww! What a great review! Thank you so much for saying those nice things! I'm glad that you are continually enjoying the chapters! XOXO

**JMarieAllenPoe** – Ha ha - Cutegasm. I like that! Thank you for leaving reviews with "Courage" as well and for checking out Blaine's Tumblr! It means a lot! Enjoy this next chapter!

**Crapazoidwtf** – Yes… that damn Sebastard keeps getting in the way, doesn't he? And yes… Finn does deserve a slap every now and again! Ha ha!

**Miya2306** (Ch. 10) – Ha ha! I'm sorry for being mean! That chapter has given me many many similar reviews! I myself think its hilarious! Thanks for reading!

**ShadowBeauty** – Weak!Blaine is my heroin. I sometimes feel awful for dragging him through all of this, but… he's just so perfect for it. (You're right… it's the damn puppy eyes.) Thank you so much for reading! And I enjoy our emails regarding canon as well!

**Tmmontp** – Hmm… a cliffhanger hey… Buckle up! ;)

**KurtLizieHummel ** - Aww! I'm glad that I made your day! You leaving me a review makes my day every time! LOVE YOU!

**Jay Li Matsuda** – Yes, Blaine has been having a hard time. Just when you think things are going well, something happens to set him off. He's very volatile right now. An emotional time bomb waiting to go off so to speak. Did you get a chance to check out the Tumblr? Hopefully it filled in some of the blanks. The texts, photos, etc. are on there as well as an "ASK BLAINE" feature where readers can actually interact with Blaine. It gives a new dimension to the story – often setting up for what's to come in the following chapters!

**Mzjem** – Aww! Thank you so much! That means a lot! XOXO

**GleekCow13** – Awww! Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Trust is a **HUGE** issue for Blaine right now. He's learning, but it's a very slow and painful process!

**Whovian2.0** – Ahhh yes… The Soulmate factor. It is my true passion. I love writing about Kurt and Blaine's connection. They really are a match made in heaven. Soulmates are everything. The power of the relationship between Soulmates is indescribable!

**Moioui** – I'm so glad to hear that you are enjoying the "extra" bits in Blaine's Tumblr. I just love that it adds another dimension to the story. He's constantly hiding himself and his true feelings in "Underneath", but with his Journal and with the Tumblr, you really do get a sneak peek into his mind. I LOVE the feedback I've been getting from it too. It gives me an opportunity to let my lovely readers in on what to expect in upcoming chapters! Like mini spoilers! Also – I love what you said about Blaine being so unstable, because he really is. There is a lot of up and downs (especially in this next chapter…) and it really shows how volatile he is right now. His emotions are all over the map. One second he feels safe and warm until the next second when something tiny sets him off and he regresses. Thank you for your music suggestions too. There is a little 'something' coming up that I think you'll enjoy!

* * *

Find me on Twitter: Ryleigh_Hayle

Or on Tumblr: RyleighHayle

***NEW*** - Find me on LiveJournal: Ryleigh-Hayle

I would love for you to add me and help me share my stories!

* * *

**Check out Blaine's journal on Tumblr: Courage-Journal **

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

**This chapter may contain depictions of violence, coarse language and non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 27 Part Three

_Bacon._

_Pretty much the best smell in the whole world._

_And this isn't even real bacon._

_Well… real as in the 'pig' kind…_

Blaine inhaled another deep breath as he sat on the stool next to the table in the kitchen and watched as Kurt tossed another strip of vegan tofu bacon onto the grill. It sizzled sharply, sending tiny specks of grease popping out onto the stovetop. Multiple thin intricate tendrils of steam snaked its way out of the grill, sending a fresh wave of the mouth-watering aroma through the kitchen.

Kurt reached up into the cupboard above the sink and pulled down a large crystal serving bowl and set it down on the counter in front of him before turning to face Blaine.

"Would you like to help me make the pancakes?"

Blaine glanced over to Kurt, whose golden hair was now fashioned into an elegantly styled coif, much different from the messy bedhead he'd had upon waking up next to him this morning. He couldn't help but allow a tiny smile to form on his face at the green apron Kurt donned, which covered the impeccably trendy outfit he'd chosen for the day.

He looked like the domesticated version of a runway model.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked again with a lifted brow.

Blaine's wide honey-amber eyes shot up to meet Kurt's.

"Pancakes?"

The curly-haired teen felt his cheeks warm just slightly as he nodded and stood up from his stool.

He walked over to the counter and stood next to Kurt, albeit a few inches shorter, and waited for further instruction.

"Do you want an apron?" Kurt asked. "You don't want to get flour on your pyjamas."

Blaine's face turned a deeper shade of pink, but this time a dull ache formed in his chest to go along with his flushed cheeks.

He looked down at the matching navy blue satin pyjamas he was wearing and his thick eyebrows furrowed into a frustrated frown as his fingers fumbled with a loosened seam.

_I'm still in my pyjamas and Kurt is all dressed up, because Kurt is going to school._

_Without me._

It was as though the weight of the world came crashing back down onto Blaine's already small stature.

The brief feeling of comfort that he'd finally attained was gone, replaced by a hollow emptiness.

A very dark and horrible emptiness.

Kurt felt the change immediately.

The warm glow that had been radiating from Blaine's skin disappeared instantly and was replaced by a chilling shadow as his shoulders slumped and his head lowered until his empty eyes were focused on the floor.

Kurt's face slid into a pool of anguish as he set the measuring spoons on the counter next to the mixing bowl.

He took a step towards Blaine and gently lifted his hands until they were placed one on each side of the shorter boy's hollowed cheeks.

"Blaine?" He whispered, not wanting to frighten him.

When Blaine didn't respond, Kurt took in a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare himself for his next action.

He knew that he needed to console the other teen, but if he was being honest, Kurt was as apprehensive to leave as Blaine was to be left behind.

However, he couldn't show Blaine his weakness. He needed to at least pretend that everything was going to be okay when he left him to go to school.

Kurt couldn't shake the horrible feeling in his stomach that it was going to be a long and rough day without having the curly-haired boy tucked close to his side wherever he went.

He knew he'd be worrying about Blaine for the entire day. He'd likely not focus on his schoolwork at all and it would end up being a waste of time to even _be_ there.

But he had to do this.

_Fake smile._

_Fake confidence._

_Fake courage._

"It's going to be okay." He lied through his teeth.

He hated lying to Blaine.

Blaine finally allowed his sad eyes to drift upwards until they met Kurt's and they held each other's gaze for almost a full minute before Kurt continued.

"You're going to be fine here, Blaine." Kurt whispered his reassurance, and to his credit, his voice remained steady throughout. "Carole is going to be here with you while I'm gone."

Blaine swallowed thickly, causing his Adam's apple to bob slowly as the lump of emotion made its journey down his parched throat.

Kurt's heart shattered when he realised that Blaine looked no more reassured than he had before his pep talk.

Blaine just kept looking at him with the biggest, saddest eyes that he'd ever seen, like he was waiting for Kurt to spill the perfect combination of words to make him feel better.

This time it was Kurt who gulped.

_Damn it. _

_Why can't I just stay here with you forever?_

_Damn this all for happening_

_And damn your puppy eyes. _

_Those beautiful puppy eyes._

"I mean it, Blaine." He added, rubbing the pads of his thumbs down Blaine's prominent cheekbones gently. "Carole is going to be right here with you, you'll never have to be alone."

Blaine's eyes were glassy; Filled with an emotion that Kurt had not yet recognized.

He wasn't afraid of what had happened in the past.

He was terrified of what was yet to come.

Blaine cursed himself for being so weak.

_It's only a few hours. _

_I can do this. _

_I need to be brave for him._

Blaine nodded into Kurt's hands slowly, unsurely.

_But will you be okay?_

He wanted so desperately to allow the words to stumble from his lips.

He longed for the ability to speak again and he cursed his brain for betraying him.

_Talk to him._

_Ask him if he's okay._

Blaine's lips parted just slightly and began to tremble as he searched down to the deepest depths of himself to summon the strength and find the words he craved to speak.

Kurt seemed to recognize his attempt and he lowered one hand until his fingers came to rest on top of Blaine's and he gave them a gentle squeeze, sending the boy every ounce of courage he could spare.

Blaine's eyebrows knit in obvious concentration, as he seemed to be carefully formulating his sentence structure in his mind.

_Tell him you're worried about him._

_It's Kurt. He'll understand._

_Tell him - Something._

_Anything._

_Stop hiding behind the silence._

Blaine finally looked back up into Kurt's eyes from underneath the long dark curls that framed his face and took in a staggered breath.

Kurt's eyes widened and his pulse quickened inside of his veins.

_He's… going to talk to me._

Blaine ran his tongue gently over his chapped lips before swallowing once more and allowing his mouth to fall open slightly as he urged his vocal cords to cooperate.

"I-…"

The weakness in Blaine's voice surprised himself and he closed his eyes and cleared his throat.

_If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this properly._

Kurt stared into Blaine's amber eyes, held his hand and gave him a tiny nod of encouragement.

_Please… Please go on. _

_I just need to hear your voice._

"K-Kurt…" Blaine's voice stuttered just slightly as he began. "I…"

"Good morning boys! What's for breakfast?"

Blaine gasped and flinched violently as the unexpected voice shrilled from close behind him.

Kurt reached for him instinctively as Blaine's strangled words fell from his lips, long forgotten and he clenched his eyes closed, trying desperately not to cry out.

As she watched the two boys engage in the awkward embrace, Carole Hudson couldn't help but feel as though she'd unintentionally interrupted a very important moment.

Kurt's eyes met her own as he clutched the trembling teenager in front of him tightly to his chest.

She raised an eyebrow hopefully, but all optimism was dashed when Kurt responded with the subtlest of headshakes.

Blaine was most definitely _not_ okay.

* * *

Breakfast was awkward and silent.

After they'd finally finished, Carole cleared the breakfast items from the table before strategically disappearing into the living room while Kurt simply sat with Blaine at the table. He didn't say a word.

Neither of them did.

But rather, Kurt held his hand and pressed gentle circles into the back of Blaine's fingers with his thumb.

They were delaying the inevitable. Kurt knew this for sure.

He knew that he would eventually have to walk out the door and leave the broken boy behind.

It burned his heart to think that he would be doing the exact thing he promised to never do again.

He'd sworn to Blaine that he'd never leave him.

That he'd never have to be alone.

That Kurt would always be there for him… no matter what.

But aside from dropping out of school to take care of him (which his father would surely never allow – _he'd already asked_), there was nothing more he could do.

He _had_ to go.

He just hoped that Blaine would remember that no matter what – he was coming back.

He'd been neglected by so many in his life already… There was no doubt in Kurt's mind that Blaine would have some serious abandonment issues bubbling inside his chest right now.

Several more minutes passed until Kurt glanced up at the clock on the kitchen wall and sighed.

_It's time._

Blaine obviously realized it too because a shiver snaked up his spine at that exact moment.

He risked a look up at Kurt as tears stung the corners of his eyes.

_Don't freak out._

_Fake it._

_Pretend that you're okay._

_He doesn't need to see you panic again._

Neither of them moved.

Both teenagers just wished that time would stop and they could just stay together for a little while longer.

_Just one more minute._

Kurt finally shook himself, realizing that if he delayed any longer, he'd surely be late for class.

_As if I'd care._

He stood up from his chair slowly; leaving his hand knit closely inside of Blaine's and stood in front of him, unsure of what to say.

Finally Kurt pulled his phone out of his pocket, as though confirming for both himself and Blaine that he'd keep it close.

"Do you have your phone?"

Blaine nodded. He reluctantly released his fingers from where they were warmly entwined with Kurt's and reached inside his sling before pulling out his black iPhone.

"Text me." Kurt instructed, his voice wavering. "For anything. At anytime."

Blaine gulped and nodded slowly once again, causing Kurt's chest to ache.

_He's trying so hard to be brave._

"I'm not even going to keep it in my pocket. I'll have it in my hand all day, okay?" Kurt explained. "So I swear I won't miss it if you text me. I'll answer right away, no matter what."

Another nod.

_Fake it._

_Fake it._

_Fake it._

Finally, Blaine tucked his phone safely back into the sleeve of his sling and stood up from the chair until he was standing in front of Kurt once again.

"You're going to be okay, right?" Kurt asked hopefully, trying to keep the emotion from drowning out his own voice.

Blaine struggled to force a neutral-looking mask to his face as he nodded.

Kurt knew that look.

It was the facade that spoke a thousand words.

_I'm not really okay, but I'm going to pretend that I am because I don't want to upset anybody._

Kurt sighed.

_Dear sweet Blaine. _

_Always concerned about everyone but yourself._

As if on cue, Blaine reached up and gently ghosted his finger down the side of Kurt's neck.

He'd removed the bandage today.

Even though Carole had removed the remaining stiches a few days prior, the large gash on the left side of Kurt's neck was still incredibly noticeable. Although it wasn't as red and angry-looking as it had been the first time Blaine had seen it, the scar still managed to send a torrent of chills crawling up his spine.

Kurt's constant reminder of what had happened that day in the motel room.

Blaine winced as a stab of guilt flooded his veins.

The beautiful canvas that had been Kurt's flawless porcelain skin would forever be marred because of him.

The gentle touch of Blaine's fingertip sent a shiver up Kurt's spine.

He knew precisely what was going on inside Blaine's mind at that exact moment.

"It's okay, Blaine." He whispered softly. "I'll be safe."

Blaine's breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened, as though he wasn't expecting Kurt to pick up on his mobid train of thought.

He looked deep into Kurt's gorgeous glasz eyes as moisture gathered at the corners his own.

_Do you promise?_

Kurt smiled, and for the first time that morning, there was no hint of false bravado.

"I promise."

Kurt's words seemed to relax Blaine, just slightly. His shoulders became less tense and the tiny speck of fear and uncertainty dissipated from within his amber eyes.

"I have to go now." Kurt announced finally. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

Blaine followed him to the front entrance, still clinging desperately to his hand in a futile attempt to convince Kurt to stay.

The older teen reluctantly let go of Blaine's fingers and shrugged on his sweater before he picked up his messenger bag and swung it up onto his shoulder as Carole stepped into the foyer.

"Ready to go, sweetheart?" She asked quietly.

She undoubtedly knew the real answer, but as expected, Kurt forced a smile and nodded.

Carole took this opportunity to take a step closer to Blaine and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. She hoped that if she showed Blaine that she was indeed here to stay with him that it might make his transition easier.

Blaine dropped his gaze to look towards Carole's hand, momentarily allowing his eyes to leave Kurt's.

He knew it was time.

_Kurt has to go now. _

_He'll be safe._

_He has to be._

He drew in a staggered breath as he watched Kurt pull on his boots and wrap his favourite brown cashmere scarf snuggly around his neck.

_What if he's not okay?_

_What if Karofsky tries to hurt him again?_

_What if Sebastian…_

Kurt finished tying his boots and stood up once again.

He was ready to go.

Only… he _wasn't._

They stood in the doorway staring at each other for several seconds, until Blaine threw all caution to the wind and rushed towards Kurt and into his unsuspecting arms.

Kurt's eyes widened at Blaine's sudden and unanticipated bravado. He could feel the teen clench the fingers of his unslinged hand into the back of his heavy winter sweater as he nestled his face to Kurt's chest.

Silent sobs racked Blaine's body, and Kurt pulled him in tighter into his own. He brought his hand up and ran it through Blaine's tangled curls.

And they just stood there, in each other's arms.

Neither of them wanting to let go.

Ever.

After several minutes, Kurt reluctantly pulled away until he met Blaine's gaze once again.

The boy's hazel orbs were wide, darker than usual, and filled with emotion.

Kurt sighed.

_My god, those eyes are not making this any easier._

He reached forward, took Blaine's trembling hand and placed it softly onto the middle of his own chest.

Blaine's eyes widened at Kurt's unexpected action.

He could instantly feel the warmth of Kurt's body radiating into his palm and the faintest of rhythmic beats thrummed gently into the tips of his fingers.

"Can you feel that?" Kurt asked softly, looking deep enough into Blaine's surprised eyes that he could feel his soul stutter.

Blaine blinked twice, regaining his composure, before nodding hesitantly. He was uncertain of what Kurt's intention was, but he knew one thing for sure:

He didn't want him to let go.

"That's for you." Kurt explained. His tone was gentle, soothing and soft. "My heart beats because of you, Blaine."

Blaine was stunned.

He couldn't have found the words to speak even if he wanted to.

"And as long as it keeps beating, I'll be here for you, okay?" Kurt added. His voice had remained consistently strong until the last two words, where it broke just slightly. "I promise."

Blaine sucked in a surprised breath as Kurt untangled his fingers from within his own and lifted his hands up, placing them one on each side of Blaine's face. Kurt leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the shorter boy's forehead, allowing his lips to remain for a second or two longer than necessary before pulling away.

Tears had gathered at the corners of Kurt's eyes when he took a step back, causing Blaine's hand fall limply from where it had remained on the front of his chest.

They stared at each other for what felt like a lifetime, before Kurt forced a smile to his lips and blinked away the tears, which were inevitably on their way.

He knew that if he was going to be able to convince his feet (and his heart) to walk out the door, that it was now or never.

He nodded to Blaine, not trusting his voice to not betray him, turned around and stepped out the front door.

It was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

The moment Kurt closed the heavy front door behind him with a click, his heart sunk and the tears he'd been fiercely withholding fell freely.

_Please be okay, Blaine._

* * *

Inside the house, Blaine's stomach plummeted to the floor the moment Kurt had vanished from in front of him.

He felt his throat constrict and his palms began to sweat.

He could still feel the gentle beats of Kurt's heart on his fingertips.

He could still smell a hint of Kurt's conditioner and see the sparkle in his dazzling blue eyes.

But he hadn't heard the words.

_He didn't say goodbye._

Blaine's heart ached.

_Why didn't he say goodbye?_

It took all of his will power not to run to the window and watch Kurt get into his car and drive away. He knew Carole was standing right behind him, and he was afraid that she would get upset if he got too emotional.

_Pretend._

_Fake it._

"Honey?" Carole asked softly as she moved up beside him and placed her fingers on the top of his shoulder. "Shall we go work on our puzzle?"

Her words barely registered.

Blaine felt empty.

All his mind could see was Kurt turning his back to him as he walked out the door.

_He didn't even say goodbye._

"Blaine?"

Blaine sucked in a shaky breath and tried to sweep away the cobwebs of sadness that had encrusted his fractured heart.

_Fake it._

_Tell her you're fine._

Blaine nodded unconvincingly and had taken one step away from the front door when his phone vibrated and a soft, chiming '_ding'_ resonated from where it was still nestled safely on the inside of his sling.

His eyes widened and the ice crystals that had just formed around his burning heart instantly melted.

_Kurt's text message tone._

Blaine fumbled his hand into the sling and hastily pulled out his phone. His fingers trembled as he slid open the lock on the screen and opened the message.

He let out a sigh filled with relief, emotion and reassurance as he saw Kurt's words.

* * *

**I'm never saying goodbye to you.**

* * *

"Blaine, honey?" Carole said, looking up from the puzzle. When the boy glanced up and met her gaze, she continued. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?"

She knew the boy was uncomfortable. The moment Kurt had stepped out the door she had noticed the immediate change in Blaine's posture.

He'd looked instantly disheartened.

Lost.

Alone.

The text message he'd received minutes later (obviously from Kurt) had perked him up some, but now, only an hour or so later, they were back to square one.

His wide amber eyes looked so sad.

Even his skin appeared to have lost some of its olive tone.

He literally looked sick.

Blaine had kept his phone in his hand almost all morning, constantly checking and rechecking the screen – as though desperately waiting for Kurt to call or text him.

She'd even seen him unlock his phone several times and open his messenger app; obviously checking to make sure that he'd not missed any messages.

She watched as the boy shrugged his shoulders noncommittally and refused to make eye contact with her.

Carole knew that Blaine would never tell her if he was hurting, or hungry or needed anything.

She knew that he didn't want to be a bother, and that broke her heart into a million more tiny fragments.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry? You didn't eat much breakfast."

Blaine shook his head sadly.

He wished with all his heart that he could look at her.

Talk to her.

Carole had always been so kind.

He just wanted to drop the walls, open up his mouth and let the words stumble off his tongue.

Tell her how he was feeling.

The sadness.

The anger.

The betrayal.

The fear.

But he couldn't.

He didn't think he could find the strength to say the words.

To dredge up the memories that haunted him.

He also didn't want to burden her any further.

She'd already done so much.

She didn't need to hear all the gory details.

It was his burden to carry.

No one else's.

After Kurt left this morning, Carole had ushered him back into the kitchen where they both sat at the table and worked on her puzzle.

She didn't push him to talk, or fuss over him like an over-bearing mother hen, but she made sure to stay close to him, and she made quiet, one-sided conversation just to break the silence.

She relayed to him a few happy stories of new babies being born at the hospital, and about some interesting articles that she'd read in the paper that morning.

It was nothing spectacularly exciting, but Blaine found the near-constant buzz… _nice_.

Comforting.

Blaine picked up another puzzle piece and slipped it into place with a quiet sigh.

_She's trying to keep my mind off things._

"I know you had a hard time letting him go this morning."

Blaine's eyes widened as he sucked in a surprised breath.

_Or not._

He lifted his head once again until his anguish-filled eyes met Carole's.

Her chest ached when she saw the flood of emotion on his face.

Shame.

Embarrassment.

"Oh sweetie." She said softly. "There's nothing wrong with that. You two have grown incredibly close in all of this. You rely on each other now, so it's normal for you to miss him."

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed.

_Normal?_

_What part of this could possibly be classified as normal?_

He could feel the hole in his chest widening and his throat beginning to clench.

_None of this is normal._

_I don't even know what normal is anymore._

"I know that after everything that has happened that you have a hard time being alone, but Kurt will be back soon. I promise you that." Carole's voice was soft, but filled with obvious concern.

Blaine shrugged again just slightly, still not finding the strength to look at Carole again.

_I'm supposed to be brave right now._

_Brave for Kurt. _

_I have to pretend like I'm okay._

"You're worried about him, aren't you?"

Carole's words caught Blaine by surprise once again. He hadn't realized that she'd been watching him and had apparently noticed his internal struggle.

He nodded as he finally lifted his head up until his eyes met hers. Then he gulped down the lump of hesitation that resided in his throat and reached over beside him and grabbed the whiteboard.

_**It's his first day back. Do you think he'll be ok?**_

Carole's heart both warmed and sunk lower in her chest simultaneously.

_After everything he has been though, it's Kurt he's concerned about._

_He's so selfless and pure._

"Yes, Blaine." She reassured. "I'm certain Kurt will be doing just fine. I'm sure he misses you just as much as you are missing him right now."

Blaine released a breath as he set down the whiteboard.

_I sure hope so._

After a few minutes of silence, Carole stood up from the table.

"Would you like to take a shower today, Blaine?" She asked. "I think you are strong enough now that you could do it on your own if you want to."

Blaine looked up at where she stood next to him with wide, excited eyes.

_A shower._

_It's been so long since I've had a real shower._

"I'm going to take that as a yes." Carole said with a smile.

She led him into the bathroom and then brought him a fluffy green towel and a set of comfortable clothes for him to put on afterwards.

"Do you mind if I have a quick look at your shoulder?"

Blaine hesitated momentarily, but then nodded and allowed Carole to help him remove the sling and unbutton his pyjama shirt.

When his bare chest was exposed, Blaine subconsciously sucked in his abdomen and his shoulders slumped down protectively.

The bruises and cuts across the front and back of his body were fading and nearly healed, but each one made Carole's heart ache just a little bit more. The hand-shaped bruising around his neck was gone, leaving only the faintest traces of greenish-yellow discoloration.

There were still several small round burn marks visible across his torso.

Cigarette burns that would no doubt leave permanent scars.

Carole sighed to herself.

_He'll never be able to forget what happened to him because those scars will be a constant reminder. _

Carole could easily sense how self-conscious Blaine was about his damaged body, so she tried to quickly wipe any negative thoughts from her mind and put on a smile.

She had Blaine lower his arm down to the side and was pleased to see that it didn't cause him any pain.

"Are you able to lift your arm out to the side?"

Blaine hesitated, afraid for what pain might follow the action, but he did as he was asked, and was ecstatic when he realised that it didn't hurt.

At all.

He looked up at Carole with wide eyes.

_It doesn't hurt._

Carole smiled, not missing his excitement.

"That's so great Blaine! It's healing nicely!" She grinned. "It won't be long and we'll be able to get rid of this annoying sling and start working on strengthening the muscles in your shoulder again."

Blaine sighed a heavy breath of relief. It had felt like forever since his arm had been bound to his chest.

He'd felt so helpless.

So… unable to _defend_ himself if need be.

"Blaine?" Carole asked softly, interrupting his thoughts. "I know this is an uncomfortable question honey, but I need to ask you. How are you feeling… _down_ _there_?"

Blaine's face fell from excitement to shame within half a second.

Carole sighed. It killed her to see him flip between emotions like that. His shoulders instantly sagged and he looked defeated.

Again.

"You've been walking much easier lately and I didn't see you wince at all when we sat at the table. Are you feeling better now, honey?"

Blaine scrunched his eyebrows together, gulped and nodded.

"That's great sweetie." Carole praised. "That means you're healing down there too."

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to the top of Blaine's messy curls.

"See?" She said softly. "Everything _is_ going to get better, sweetheart. I promise."

She took Blaine's hand and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.

The teenager swallowed slowly before looking up at the love-filled green eyes beside him and reciprocated the squeeze just slightly as he nodded.

Carole smiled fondly.

"Now…Let's get you in the shower."

* * *

"I bet that feels better, doesn't it?" Carole asked with a knowing grin as Blaine padded back into the kitchen half an hour later.

She wasn't kidding.

Blaine felt better after his shower than he had in a long time.

He'd remained standing underneath the hot water for almost 20 minutes until it had turned cool against his battered skin. He could feel the stress and worry melt off of him, as it followed the millions of tiny water droplets flowing down his naked torso and circling around the bottom of the tub until they disappeared down the drain.

He felt fresh.

Rejuvenated.

Even though his legs felt exhausted from him standing for so long, his mind and soul felt re-energized.

If he was being honest, it might have had something to do with the fact that he'd used a tiny amount of Kurt's moisturizing cleanser to wash himself.

The familiar smell had invigorated his senses.

Made him feel safe.

Protected.

Blaine sighed contently as he slipped into his place at the table. His hair was still damp, causing his loose curls to hang down on his face, partially obstructing his view. He hadn't found the same detangling cream that Kurt used in his hair every night after his bath, but he wasn't entirely worried about it.

He'd gone so long without even having a proper shower, that he was certain that one day without detangling cream wasn't going to hurt him.

Carole immediately noticed that some of the tension was gone from Blaine's previously rigid posture.

"Would you like a cup of tea? I was just going to make a pot."

Blaine looked up at her from under his still-dripping curls and nodded.

It had been ages since he'd enjoyed a cup of tea.

"I was thinking." Carole started several minutes later after they were both seated at the table sipping at their cups of tea. "Since Thanksgiving is finally over. How would you like to help me decorate for Christmas?"

Blaine's head shot up and his eyes were wide.

_Christmas?_

_It's almost Christmas?_

Carole smiled.

"It _is_ December, Blaine." She reminded softly.

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed as he considered her words.

_Of course it's December. _

_I knew that… But… Christmas?_

"You've had other things on your mind lately, sweetheart. It's completely okay that you forgot." Carole forced a gentle tone, but internally, she was saddened by the boy's reaction.

_What poor child should ever has so much pain and suffering in their life that they forget about Christmas?_

Blaine remained sitting at the table completely dumbstruck.

_I can't be here for Christmas._

_Christmas is for families and I don't…_

"You're part of our family now, Blaine." Carole said at just the right moment. "Of course you're going to be with us for Christmas."

Blaine's breath left him momentarily.

_Does she really mean that?_

_I get to stay here for Christmas?_

"We're happy that you're staying with us, Blaine." She smiled. "You're always going to be welcome here."

Blaine's heart warmed and tears prickled at the corners of his eyes.

_I get to be with Kurt for Christmas._

_With…a real family._

"What do you say?" Carole grinned. "Shall we get started?"

Blaine nodded enthusiastically and the moment they both finished their tea, they headed towards the attic to gather the boxes of decorations.

* * *

It took Carole several trips up and down the collapsible ladder leading to the attic before all of the boxes of decorations were stacked neatly in the living room. Apparently she'd brought several boxes of decorations with her when she and Finn had moved in, so when they were combined with the boxes that Burt and Kurt already had… It took Blaine and Carole almost two hours to sort through them and decorate the house.

They set up Christmas themed table runners, cinnamon scented candles, wreaths on some of the windows, a silk Poinsettia flower on the coffee table in the living room and many glass figurines – including a nativity scene on the mantel.

The house was transformed.

Blaine couldn't contain his excitement.

He'd never seen a house look so beautiful before.

His own home had never been decorated for Christmas. Usually his family went away on a vacation over the Christmas holidays.

Last year, his parents had gone away and left him alone at Dalton.

But this year… He was going to spend Christmas with the Hummels and the Hudsons!

_The Hudmels?_

Blaine smiled to himself.

_Yes. Definitely the Hudmels._

Carole smiled as she watched Blaine systematically arrange the figures of the nativity scene.

He looked happy.

Comfortable.

She'd been watching him closely all morning, and although there were a few times when he looked concerned, as though he'd been temporarily reminded of something bad, Blaine had otherwise been relatively relaxed.

She'd not even seen the teen check his phone in the last hour.

Carole smiled to herself as she peeled another sticker from the sheet.

_I've succeeded in keeping him distracted._

Blaine set the final piece of the nativity scene – the teeny figure of baby Jesus – into the manger and turned around to face Carole with a proud smile.

"There!" She said excitedly as she placed the last Christmas decal on the window. "It looks great, Blaine! You did a wonderful job!"

Blaine beamed as he looked around the room. Everything was just perfect – the flower arrangements, the wall-hangings, the string of green spruce garland they'd hung up above the window… but he couldn't help but think that something was missing.

_Maybe they didn't want to have a Christmas tree this year?_

If he was being honest, the moment that Carole had asked him about decorating for Christmas, the first image that popped into Blaine's head was a giant green Christmas tree filled with ornaments and candy canes and a golden star on the top like he'd seen at the mall when he was young.

But, he was so excited about the rest of the decorations that he decided that there likely wasn't even space for a tree in the over-crowded living room anyway.

_This is going to be the best Christmas ever._

Blaine was just about to go over and check out the three large unopened boxes sitting next to the piano when the doorbell rang.

Carole glanced down at her watch with a sly grin before looking over to Blaine.

"Honey, I'm just busy with this last flower arrangement, do you mind getting the door?"

Blaine looked towards the front door hesitantly.

_But… What if…?_

_No._

_Carole won't let anything happen to me._

He nodded warily and began walking towards the door, taking slow, calculated steps as his mind reeled.

_I can do this. _

_I can do this._

He stepped up to the door and took a deep breath as the doorbell rang once again.

_It's probably just a package delivery or something…_

Blaine reached up and tentatively clicked the metal locking mechanism open and then put his hand on the doorknob allowing his trembling fingers to turn the cool, smooth metal slowly.

He cracked the door open carefully and hesitantly until he was met by something he was definitely not expecting.

A Christmas tree.

Like… a real, live, Christmas tree.

Bundled up with string.

Blaine's face conveyed his utter confusion until a familiar face popped out from behind the tree.

"Seasons greetings!"

Burt Hummel stepped out from where he'd been standing, effectively hidden behind the tree with a wide, infectious grin.

Blaine's eyes were round with surprise, and he remained standing in the doorway with his jaw hanging slightly open as he stared at he tree in front of him.

Burt chuckled at Blaine's apparent astonishment and stepped inside the house, carrying the tree.

"Well, I got a tree…" He said nonchalantly. "Need one?"

Blaine finally snapped out of his astounded trance and nodded eagerly.

_A tree!_

_Mr. Hummel brought home a real Christmas tree!_

Within ten minutes, they'd pulled the strings off the tree, fluffed out the branches and set it up in the living room after moving Burt's recliner off to the side of the room.

"Okay, you can let go now." Burt had just finished screwing the trunk of the tree into the tree stand.

Blaine released his hold on the large branch and stood back.

Carole stepped in next to him and put her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Come." She said excitedly. "Let's go look at it!"

The threesome backed up into the middle of the living room and looked at the gorgeous, full Christmas tree in front of them.

Carole clapped her hands together. "Ohhh! It's perfect!"

Burt stared proudly at the tree with a satisfied grin. "Yeah, well I couldn't imagine us celebrating Christmas without a real tree"

He turned to Blaine before continuing. "Kurt's mom used to always buy the tree. I'd always tell her to wait until I got home from work, but she never could. Then, the first Christmas after his mom died, I totally forgot about it. That is, until I saw little Kurt hanging his own special version of a Christmas ornament on his window shade Christmas Eve."

Burt walked over to the stack of boxes next to the piano and opened the one on top. He pulled out a tiny glass vial hanging on a string and held it up for Carole and Blaine to see.

"His mom's perfume bottle." He explained. "He always loved the way she smelled."

Carole smiled proudly at the man standing next to her and stood on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to the top of his bald head.

"So I pull him outta bed, throw a coat on him. I drive straight through a snowstorm, right down to the Christmas tree sale." Burt grinned as he continued his tale. "It was the first time he smiled since his mom died."

Blaine felt tears prickling the corners of his eyes.

_Poor Kurt. _

_That must have been awful to not have his mom with him for Christmas._

Burt looked between Carole and Blaine, who both had tears welling up in their eyes. He cleared the emotion out of his own throat before walking back over to the box filled with ornaments.

"No tears on Christmas!" He announced happily. "This box is full of happy memories as well!"

He reached into the box and pulled out an ornament of a terribly ugly looking blonde doll and grinned. "Like our Christmas trip to Dollywood!" He handed the doll to Blaine, who looked at it sceptically.

"That trip was for Kurt." Burt explained with a wink.

He reached back into the box and pulled out an ornament shaped like a racecar.

"Or the redneck NASCAR trip, as Kurt calls it." He said with a smile. "That was for me."

Carole snorted.

"Hey!" Burt said in mock defence. "This is a really nice ornament!"

Blaine was all smiles, as he looked through Kurt's favourite ornaments.

_So many happy memories. _

"Well Blaine?" Burt said, nodding to the ornaments. "Shall we decorate the hell outta this tree, or what?"

Blaine grinned and nodded excitedly.

Burt chuckled and began walking towards the tree. "Lets hang 'em!"

It took almost forty minutes to finish decorating the tree.

But it looked spectacular.

The multitude of ornaments that filled the boxes of both Burt's and Carole's complemented each other perfectly. There was a good mix of gorgeous, expensive looking ornaments and homemade ones that both Finn and Kurt had constructed over the years.

It was obvious that both parents had treasured their children's creations.

Burt had helped them string a cord of white Christmas lights around the tree, which illuminated the ornaments perfectly.

And to Blaine's surprise, instead of a large golden star, like he'd seen at the mall, Carole presented a beautiful porcelain angel wearing a red gown that Burt placed carefully on the very top of the tree.

"Gorgeous!" Carole exclaimed as she walked in from the kitchen carrying a tray of sandwiches for lunch. "Great job fellas!"

Blaine looked up from where he sat on the floor cross-legged under the branches of the tree with a smile.

He found himself enjoying his place on the floor, directly beside the tree.

He could smell the woodsy scent of needles on the tree and when combined with the cinnamon from the candles in the living room… Blaine was filled with even more warmth and comfort.

It was perfect.

He'd just finished untangling the final string of Christmas lights (which was not a simple task with one arm in a sling.) because Burt had told him that they'd hang up the lights around the house after they had a bite to eat.

Blaine was ecstatic.

He never dreamed a house could look so warm and… _perfect_.

He couldn't wait for Kurt to get home and see all of their hard work.

Blaine's head shot up.

_Oh my god!_

_Kurt!_

_I haven't checked my phone in almost two hours!_

He reached into his sling to pull out his phone but gasped when his fingers grasped at nothing but his own arm.

_Oh god._

_It's gone._

His stomach plummeted as he stood up from his place under the tree with wide, terrified eyes.

_What if…_

"Blaine?" Carole sounded worried as she looked over to where Blaine was frantically patting his pockets. "Is everything okay?"

Blaine looked up at her with pure apprehension etched into his features and shook his head.

"Are you looking for your phone?"

His breath came in quick gasps and he looked around the room hysterically before nodding.

_I can't lose it. _

_It's the only connection to Kurt that I have._

_It can't be gone._

"I'm sure its here somewhere buddy." Burt chimed. "We'll help you look for it."

"I'm sure you just set it down while you were digging through all of the ornaments." Carole added.

The threesome looked around the room for several minutes; digging through the stacks of empty boxes, under the Christmas tree and everywhere else they could think of.

Nothing.

Blaine started to panic.

_What if Kurt needed him?_

_What if he phoned for help and Blaine didn't answer?_

"Can you re-trace your steps?" Burt suggested. "Where were you last?"

Blaine stopped circling the living room and thought for a moment.

He'd been sitting under the tree with the lights, but before that he was placing ornaments onto the tree and before that he was setting up the tree with Burt.

But they'd looked in all of those places.

It wasn't there.

Carole looked at the teen in front of her with concern.

His breathing had picked up and he was as white as a ghost.

Blaine was undoubtedly only one minute away from having another panic attack.

He'd been doing so good.

They'd managed to keep him distracted all morning.

She didn't think she could handle it if something happened and Blaine regressed again, erasing all of their progress.

_We need to find that phone._

She thought back, trying to remember if Blaine had stepped away from the living room since their cup of tea following breakfast.

_Decorating the tree. _

_Setting up the nativity scene._

_Ha hadn't gone into the kitchen for anything…_

_What about…_

_The bathroom! _

_Blaine had left to use the bathroom a while ago!_

She darted out of the living room, and down the hallway towards the bathroom, leaving Burt and Blaine standing in the living room speechless.

She returned seconds later carrying Blaine's black iPhone proudly in her hand.

"I got it!" She exclaimed, rushing over to Blaine and setting it in his hands.

Blaine fumbled with the phone, and unlocked it with trembling fingers fearing the worse.

_What if Karofsky had hurt him again?_

_What if Sebastian showed up at school?_

_What if…_

* * *

**2 Missed Calls – Kurt Hummel**

**1 Voicemail Message**

**3 Text Messages**

* * *

Blaine's stomach dropped.

_Oh god. _

_He called me and I didn't answer._

_He's going to think that he's all alone!_

_He's going to think that I don't care!_

Blaine sucked in a deep breath and dialled his voicemail.

_One ring._

_Two rings._

_Enter password._

"_You have one new message. To hear the message, please press one."_

_**#1**_

"_Sent on…"_

_**#1**_

"_**Hey Blaine! It's Kurt! Just called to check in and see how you're doing." **_

Kurt's voice sounded upbeat and happy, not depressed or frightened.

Blaine allowed his head to fall forwards as he breathed a sigh of relief and listened to the remainder of the message.

"_**I'm guessing that you're taking a nap, or working on the puzzle with Carole. That's great! I hope you're doing okay. I miss you. Things are okay here at school. Boring as always! I'm on lunch break right now, and then I'm headed to double history. YUCK! After that, I have French, but then I'm done for the day and I'll be home! I was thinking that we could maybe watch a movie tonight or something after supper. Think about which one you'd like to watch! Also – I made something for you this morning before I left for school. That's why I took so long downstairs. It's a CD of some really nice songs that I think you'll enjoy. They're songs that make me feel better about myself as well as some that I think might really fit what you're feeling. I left it on your desk. Not sure if you found it already or not? Anyways… I know how much you've been interested in new songs lately, so I thought it might help to pass the time today while I was away. Oh shoot! There's the bell. I guess I better go. Ms. Hansen is a complete cow if you're late. Hope everything is going well today! Call me anytime! Or text me… if you don't feel like talking… 'cuz that's okay too! Although, I'd really like to hear your voice! But no pressure or anything! I… uh oh... Your voicemail lady is telling me I'm running out of time to leave this message. Enough babbling! Talk to you soon!"**_

Blaine pulled the phone away from his ear after the message cut out.

He pressed re-play and listened to Kurt's message three more times before he felt content and saved the message and closed the voicemail app, wearing a huge smile on his face.

_Kurt was okay._

_He didn't get bullied and Sebastian never showed up._

_He was… okay._

Burt and Carole had watched Blaine listen to the message the first time, and both relaxed visibly as they saw Blaine's tense posture soften significantly.

He'd been so worried, but a simple message from Kurt had washed away all of his fear.

Blaine opened his messenger app and opened the missed text messages.

There was one from Nick telling Blaine that he got a solo with the Warblers and two from Kurt wishing him courage and telling him about the hideous outfit that Rachel Berry wore to school that day.

Everything was great.

Kurt was safe.

There was a giant Christmas tree in the living room decorated so full that you could barely see any of its branches and the living room itself looked like a scene out of a Christmas magazine.

Blaine looked up to Burt and Carole with apologetic eyes and sighed.

_I'm sorry that I freaked out for nothing._

"Everything is okay, isn't it?" Burt said with a grin. "No need to worry."

Blaine nodded and tucked his phone safely back into its place inside his sling.

"Now…" Burt nodded eagerly towards the tray of sandwiches on the coffee table. "Shall we have some lunch? I have to get back to the garage soon."

"One more thing before we eat." Carole announced with a smile.

Blaine watched as she walked over and pulled a handful of what looked like red fabric out of the last ornament box.

"Stockings!" She exclaimed happily. "We have to hang them on the mantle!"

Blaine's eyes grew wide as he watched Carole set out the stockings on the table in front of him. Each stocking was red velvet with white faux fur along the top and a name embroidered in elegantly scripted dark silver letters.

One was labelled 'Burt'.

'Carole'.

'Finn'.

And the last one… 'Kurt'.

_Oh. _

Blaine drew in a shallow breath and tried desperately to hide is disappointment.

_Of course. _

_How could I be so selfish?_

_I shouldn't have expected…_

"It seems as though we've forgotten someone." Burt said, interrupting Blaine's thoughts as he looked around the room curiously. "Hmmm… Who could that be?"

Blaine's eyebrows knit in confusion.

_Surely he didn't mean…_

Burt grinned as he reached into a white shopping bag that had been lying next to the couch. When he pulled his hand out, he revealed a brand new Christmas stocking.

It was red with white fur along the top and had neat dark silver letters on the side, exactly like all of the rest:

* * *

_**BLAINE**_

* * *

Blaine couldn't believe what he was seeing.

_They got me a Christmas stocking? _

_A real stocking!_

_But I…_

_How did… _

_Why?_

He was so touched, that he simply could not form the words, even in his mind.

He looked up at Carole and Burt, who were now standing together in front of him, obviously satisfied with their surprise.

Burt stepped forward and presented Blaine's stocking to the flabbergasted teen with a wide grin.

"Here you go, kiddo." He smiled. "You didn't actually think we'd forget you, did you?"

Blaine took the stocking in his hand and ran his fingers over the smooth velvet. Each silver letter of his name was embroidered on with obvious care and attention to detail.

He looked back up to Burt and Carole as he felt several tears slide down his face.

"T-thank you." He whispered softly.

Carole also had tears streaming down her cheeks.

_Such a simple gesture has almost truly overwhelmed this boy. _

"I have one more surprise for you, Blaine." She said, her voice cracking with emotion. She reached back into the white shopping bag and pulled out a small green box and handed it to Blaine.

He took it with wide eyes, uncertain of what to expect.

Blaine gulped as he slid his finger under the cardboard tab on the box and flipped open the lid. Inside the box was a piece of white Styrofoam. Blaine pulled it out of the box and split it open to reveal its contents.

He gasped when he saw what was inside.

It was a beautiful silver tree ornament in the shape of a music note with six tiny diamonds set inside of the top of it.

Blaine's fingers began to tremble as he looked down at his precious gift.

_This is too much._

_I can't keep this._

"Don't even think about not accepting it, buddy." Burt said perceptively. "We bought it just for you."

Carole stepped forward and knelt down beside Blaine and pressed a hand gently onto his shoulder.

"You need to have a special ornament for the tree too, sweetheart." She explained with soft smile. "And I remembered how much you love music."

Blaine looked back down at the silver music note as a tear slipped from his cheek and landed on top of it, giving it an even more brilliant shine.

"I-I…" He stuttered, unable to find the words.

"It's okay sweetheart, I know." Carole said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You're welcome."

* * *

After they'd finished their sandwiches and Burt had returned to work, Blaine and Carole started cleaning up all of the now-empty boxes that were crowding the house.

Carole had just left to take the last box up to the attic, leaving Blaine alone in the Christmas decoration-clad living room.

Everything felt perfect; inviting and… _comforting_.

Blaine's heart was warm and full as he allowed his eyes to roam across the new decorations.

His favourite, of course, was the silver music note ornament that hung on the tree, right next to a silver bell ornament that had Kurt's name engraved on it.

He padded barefoot through the living room until he came to where Burt had moved the piano onto the opposite wall under the mirror to make room for the Christmas tree by the window. The elder Hummel had pulled the white sheet off that had been covering the piano, exposing to Blaine just how gorgeous the instrument truly was.

Carole had placed a red table runner on the top of the piano and strategically covered it with an entire Christmas village. There were several houses, trees and bushes, a small church, and a number of tiny vehicles, including a horse drawn carriage.

She'd also placed a large snow globe in the middle of the display that had two penguins wearing bowties and Santa hats skating on a pond together.

It looked magnificent.

Blaine wandered closer and allowed his finger to gently slide over the pristine black cover that protected the piano's keys. He found himself fighting the urge to sit down on the matching black piano bench and peek underneath the cover.

It had been ages since he'd played a piano.

The last time he had was the day in the auditorium with Kurt.

He sighed at the memory.

Kurt's angelic voice.

They'd both been so happy that day.

Before…

"Do you still play?"

Blaine gasped and pulled his hand away from the piano as though it had been burned and his whole body leapt back in fright.

Quick flashes of images and memories burned his mind and his first instinct was that he'd been caught doing something wrong.

_Shut up and do as you're told, you little bitch!_

_Are you going to do it or do I have to teach you another lesson?_

_Stop fucking fighting me!_

_I'll give you something to scream about!_

Blaine squeezed his eyes closed, desperate to drown out the voices that filled his mind.

It took him a moment to collect himself and to realize that it was Carole speaking to him.

He wasn't back in his own house, with his father angry with him for breaking a priceless vase.

He wasn't in the motel room.

With them.

No, he was at the _Hudmels_.

Safe.

But…

_Carole caught me touching the piano._

_I shouldn't have touched it._

_It's not mine._

_It was Kurt's mom's piano and it was covered up because it makes them sad._

_Why am I ruining this?_

_Everything was so perfect…_

_Why do I have to ruin everything?_

"Blaine? Honey?" Carole asked; her voice laced with concern. "Is everything alright?"

He sucked in a staggered breath and forced himself to open his eyes.

Carole was standing several feet away from him with a stuffed polar bear in her hands and a worried look on her face.

"Blaine?" She asked again after he didn't respond. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

Blaine clenched his fist hard enough that his nails dug into his palm.

_Breathe, damn it._

_Stop being so stupid._

He forced himself to raise his head until his eyes met Carole's, but his heart sunk when he noticed the look of disapproval on her face.

_She's mad._

_I shouldn't have touched the piano._

_After everything they've done for me… given to me…_

_I always manage to fuck everything up._

"I-I'm sorry." His words cracked as they slipped past his lips.

Carole set the polar bear on the couch and walked over towards the quivering boy. She came within a few feet of him and stopped. She didn't think it would be wise to touch him; it looked as though he'd had another flashback.

His face had lost all its color and he was shaking visibly.

"Blaine, sweetie." She said softly. "What on earth are you apologising for?"

Blaine looked away from her and gulped. He unclenched his fist and began fumbling with a loose thread on the seam of his sling.

"I-I shouldn't have t-touched it."

He bowed his head shamefully, as though he expected a severe punishment to follow his admission.

Carole was shocked.

_Blaine was speaking. _

_Full sentences._

_But he was not only speaking… he was apologising._

_For what?_

Her heart clenched when she realized that the curly-haired boy in front of her was not going to lift his chin.

He looked so ashamed.

_What could he possibly have done to look this guilt-ridden?_

"Blaine?" She asked, while quietly stepping towards him. "What did you touch, sweetie?"

Without lifting his head, Blaine spoke.

"The piano." He whispered. "I touched the piano."

All of the wind left Carole's lungs.

_The piano?_

_He's this upset about the piano?_

_You'd think, by his reaction, he'd just stolen the Mona Lisa. _

"Blaine… _sweetheart_." She sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Blaine's eyes remained fixed on the floor.

He looked like a puppy that had peed on the carpet and was waiting to be swatted with a rolled up newspaper.

"Blaine? Can you look at me for a second?" Carole asked, and then added. "Please?"

The teenager gulped audibly.

_Here it comes._

_She's going to hit me._

_Or… _

_Maybe she'll take my stocking away and my ornament…_

_Oh god. _

_What if she makes me leave?_

_What if I can't be here for Christmas?_

_What if I never get to see Kurt again?_

Blaine finally found enough inner strength to lift his head and look at the woman standing in front of him.

He'd expected to see dark eyes.

A scowl.

Disappointment.

Anger.

But when his eyes met the soft green ones belonging to Carole Hudson, Blaine's eyebrows raised slightly on his forehead.

She didn't look angry at all.

Her eyes were warm, not dark and cold.

Not disappointed.

She wasn't scowling, but not smiling either.

She looked… _sad_.

Her eyes were sad, and her lips formed almost a straight line across her face.

Blaine didn't know what to think.

He didn't know when his punishment was going to come and he didn't know what to do next.

Carole was just standing there.

Looking sad.

So Blaine didn't move.

He didn't speak.

He just waited.

Waited for Carole to make her move.

He was ready to accept whatever punishment was coming to him.

Dozens of scenarios raced through Blaine's mind.

But nothing prepared him for the next words that came out of her mouth.

"Blaine. You've don't nothing wrong, sweetheart." She started calmly. "Don't you ever be afraid in this house. Nothing and no one will ever harm you while you're here. You'll never be punished here, no matter what happens."

Blaine sucked his lower lip in between his teeth and chewed on it nervously. He still refused to look Carole directly in the eye, instead, he found himself looking anywhere but.

"Blaine?" Carole wasn't even sure if he'd heard her initial speech. "You are not in trouble. It's okay that you touched the piano. You didn't do any harm to it. You were just curious."

The words finally sunk in and Blaine's amber eyes widened.

_She's not mad._

"Why would you possibly think you were in trouble?"

A few moments of silence passed, and Carole tilted her head to the side just slightly, waiting patiently to see if the teen would give her a verbal answer.

She was shocked by how much Blaine had spoken in the past few minutes. It was more than he'd said in the past three days combined.

_Maybe he's finally finding his voice again?_

Blaine gulped again but didn't speak.

"Were you afraid to touch it because it was Kurt's moms?" Carole asked, realizing now that the teen was not prepared to say anything further. "Did you think it would make him sad to talk about it?"

Blaine nodded.

"You know that Kurt would never be upset with you, Blaine." She said softly. "About anything."

He shrugged without looking up.

"I mean it, Blaine. Kurt genuinely cares about you." Her words were soft and gentle. "His mom passed away a long time ago, he has come to terms with it now. Sure, the piano might be a reminder to him about how much he misses her, but he would never be upset with you for asking about her, or being curious about her piano."

Blaine finally risked a look up. His honey-amber eyes were wide, and filled with emotion.

_Really_?

"I promise." Carole confirmed. She smiled and moved over next to where he stood beside the piano. "In fact, I think it would mean a lot to Kurt if you talked to him about his mom."

At Carole's kind words, the fear and uncertainty instantly slipped from Blaine's shoulders and he felt a thousand times lighter.

"Also, I'm sure Burt would be more than happy to let you play the piano, if you'd like to."

Blaine's eyes widened at the thought.

He missed the way the smooth keys felt underneath his fingertips. He longed to hear the soft sounds that would emanate from the strings inside the piano.

He missed feeling the beautiful vibrations that the music filled him with, each note creating a sense of tranquility.

Hope.

Freedom.

Peace.

He sighed as his heart felt warm and comforted by the memories.

_Maybe someday I will be able to play again._

"Come on." He heard Carole say from beside him. "Let's go have a cup of tea."

Blaine nodded, and after one last longing glance towards the pristine black piano next to him, he padded barefoot along behind her towards the kitchen.

* * *

"There!" Carole exclaimed proudly after Blaine had just slid the last puzzle piece into place. "All done!"

She watched curiously as Blaine studied the image of the now-completed puzzle that lay on the top of the kitchen table.

He hadn't said a word since they'd discussed the whole piano fiasco; they'd just sat at the table, sipping their tea and worked silently on the puzzle in front of them.

She sighed silently when Blaine didn't look up from the puzzle. His face remained expressionless as he stared at the two grey-brown wolves in the wintery mountain landscape.

It was night time in the image, and hundreds of stars twinkled brightly above the scene as one wolf climbed up a steep, icy slope, away from the darkness of the forest below. He was looking behind him as he crept; seemingly afraid of the horrors he'd escaped from, perhaps paranoid that his nightmares may be following him.

The second wolf stood watching him from the top of the hill with rays of sunshine filtering through the trees and giving his fur a brilliant glow. His eyes looked curious, but at the same time, comforting; as though he was there to provide safety, protection and guidance.

Wolves were often thought of as solitary creatures, frequently off on their own in search of acceptance and solace, while fighting off enemies and struggling to survive. But when one finally discovers his own pack and allows himself to accept the comfort and domesticity of it, he becomes stronger than he ever could have been while he was alone.

Although Blaine may have missed the significance of the image that Carole had deliberately chosen it for, he couldn't help but allow his eyes to roam across the picture.

Several strategically placed wolves were hidden in the image, within the clouds, the trees, and even within the face of the moon.

He counted eleven… no… twelve… was there more?

Blaine ran his finger across the surface of the puzzle, following the trail of indentations where each of the pieces fit together perfectly.

Hundreds of tiny fragments, so insignificant when alone, but when all joined together formed such a beautiful piece of art.

A poignant thought slipped through his mind, and he frowned while re-counting the hidden wolves peeking out from the image in front of him.

_I want all of my pieces to be put together and make something beautiful._

Carole sensed that the teenager's mind was filling with depreciating thoughts, so she reached her hand out to cover his where it lay uselessly on the table.

"Would you like to talk about it, honey?"

Blaine's eyes lifted slowly from the puzzle until he was looking at Carole's caring face.

He shook his head.

"You know you can tell me things, right?"

Blaine gulped, but nodded once.

Carole took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully.

"I know that you feel the most comfortable speaking with Kurt, and that's great, but you know you can talk to Burt, or myself too, right?" She said calmly. "Burt pretends to be tough, but just between you and me, he's about as mean as your little teddy bear over there." She nodded towards the brown plush bear that Coach Beiste had brought for him.

A tiny smile formed on Blaine's face.

"Can I ask you something?" Carole's words were slow and calculated. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I'd love it if you did."

Blaine gulped.

"Why have you stopped talking?"

Blaine's eyes grew large and a hollow feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach.

Carole noticed immediately and quickly kept talking.

"You have such a beautiful voice, Blaine. I miss hearing you talk, and laugh." She explained sadly. "And I'm certain that you miss singing."

The teen drew in a staggered breath.

_How am I supposed to answer that?_

_What does she want me to say?_

"Were you afraid to speak? In the beginning, I mean." She asked quietly, fearing the answer. "Like you might get in trouble if you did?"

Blaine frowned as images of men sticking terrible things into his mouth and slapping him around clouded his memory.

He closed his eyes, in a desperate attempt to push the thoughts out of his mind as he nodded.

"That's what I thought." Carole admitted sadly. "But you don't have to be scared anymore. No one will punish you."

Blaine nodded again slowly.

"You can trust us, Blaine."

Blaine looked up at her with a frown.

He knew he should be able to agree to her words.

He should be able to trust the Hudmels.

But…

"We won't let you down." Carole all but finished his thoughts for him. "We're here to support you, Blaine; to help you and love you and to get you through this. We won't ever let anything happen to you again."

Tears formed in the corners of Blaine's eyes.

_I just want to let them in._

_I want to be happy._

"You just have to let us."

Blaine's face scrunched with emotion. He gulped and pulled his hand down from where it had still been laced together with Carole's on the top of the table and brought it into his lap.

He looked down at the table in front of him and sighed.

"I-I want to."

Carole's eyes widened.

Her first instinct was to reply, but she kept quiet, desperate to give Blaine the chance to speak.

_Keep him talking._

"I-I…" He stuttered and his face folded into a frustrated frown as he began tugging at the seam of his sling. "I-I'm so t-tired."

Blaine finally risked a glance up to Carole. He half expected her to reply, but she remained stoic, and gave him an encouraging nod.

"I'm tired of h-hiding." He said sadly. "I-I don't want to be… _scared_ anymore."

This time Carole couldn't prevent the words from slipping from her mouth.

"Oh honey!" She exclaimed, standing up from her chair. She moved around the table and knelt on the floor next to Blaine and took his hand in her own. "You don't have to hide from us. You don't have to hide your fears, your doubt, your feelings…and you certainly don't have to hide your voice."

"I know you probably feel scared to talk to us about what happened, and that's completely understandable. I bet you're afraid that once you start talking, it will be hard not to just let everything out, right?"

Blaine drew in a deep breath, and a look of disbelief flashed across his face.

_How does she know exactly what I'm feeling?_

His brain swarmed as the emotions began to bubble up in his chest. The sudden urge just to start talking, explaining, and begging forgiveness was almost overpowering.

_Tell her. _

_Tell her everything._

But then his conscience kicked in and he began to doubt himself.

_Stop._

_Don't do it. _

_Don't you dare tell her anything!_

_She doesn't need to know._

_Protect yourself._

_She won't understand._

_She'll look at you differently._

_She'll tell Kurt._

Blaine turned green as the terrifying thought of Kurt knowing his darkest secrets crossed his mind.

The two different rivers of thought flowed through his mind, battling for dominance until he felt physically ill.

_Wait…_

_Carole was talking again._

_What was she saying?_

The voices in his head were so loud that they drowned out her words.

"…a professional."

The internal voices immediately stopped and an eerie silence engulfed him as his head shot up.

_What did she just say?_

"We think it would be good for you."

_What would be good for me?_

_Who's we?_

"…help you deal with this."

_Wait, what?_

_Who is she talking about?_

"…depressed_."_

_Who's depressed?_

"Maybe they could give you some medication or something."

_Oh god. _

_No._

"Might help you relax"

_Nonononononono_.

_I can't._

_Fuck._

_Not again._

"…help you feel better."

Blaine's heart was pounding out of his chest.

He ripped his hand out of Carole's and squeezed his fingers into a clenched fist.

"Blaine?"

His breathing became rapid and his head was spinning.

_She wants to drug me._

_They want to put me to sleep._

_I won't be able to protect myself._

_I can't fight back._

_I won't be able to protect Kurt._

"No!" He screamed.

He squeezed his eyes closed as his body shied away from Carole, who flinched away, surprised from Blaine's sudden outburst.

"Blaine… what…?"

"Stop it!" He screamed, bringing his unslinged hand up protectively in front of his face.

Visions clouded his mind.

Nightmares.

_A heavy feeling of helplessness flooded his veins as his body became weak. _

_Hands were on him._

_Rough, callused hands._

_Touching him._

_He tried to lift his own arms to push them away, but they were too heavy – as though they'd been hollowed out and filled with sand. _

_He couldn't even open his eyes._

_When he did, the room would spin and he felt sick._

_When he did… he could see them._

_Their faces. _

_Distorted from the chemical racing through his blood. _

_They were angry._

_Hungry._

_Evil. _

_He felt himself being pushed back until he was laying on something hard._

_A table?_

_His brain was too muddled to form coherent thoughts now. _

_All he could think about was that this was wrong._

_So wrong._

_It shouldn't be like this._

_The hands were back now._

_Scratching and pawing at him like a wild animal._

_Stop it!_

_He wanted to scream, but his lips felt like they were sewn together. _

_There were too many of them._

_Too many hands._

_Too many voices._

_Telling him to relax._

_Telling him that they would make him feel better._

_He didn't want to relax._

_He didn't want them to make him feel anything._

_He just wanted to wake up._

_Wake up from this haze._

_Wake up from this nightmare._

_He felt the cold metal stinging against his wrists._

_He was too weak to pull away, what was the point?_

_Hands._

_Touching him in places he didn't want to be touched._

_Fingers dug into his skin._

_There would be more marks tomorrow._

_More bruises._

_Bite marks._

_Cigarette burns._

_Cuts._

_The cuts were the worst. _

_The slow drag of a blade across his skin…_

_A burning pain filled him. _

_An intrusion like no other._

_Please stop. _

_I can't do this anymore._

_No words came from his lips. _

_Now he just wanted to go to sleep. _

_Just wanted the pain to go away._

_Hands._

_Too many hands._

* * *

Carole was beginning to panic.

Blaine was gone.

His body was sitting only inches in front of her, but his mind…

His mind had disappeared.

The boy's hazel eyes were wide but unseeing and filled with terror.

His lips had fallen open in a silent, never-ending scream.

She'd tried everything; but her gentle hand on his knee had gone unnoticed and her quiet reassurances unheard.

This was the worst panic attack she'd seen yet.

His breathing was staggered, it was doubtful that he was pulling in enough oxygen to feed his starving cells.

But it was Blaine's eyes that scared her.

She'd expected to see them filled with fear, and it shattered her very soul when that was not the case.

They were dark, almost black.

And empty.

He'd given up.

Like he didn't have the strength to fight any more.

"Blaine!" She yelped, shaking him just slightly.

No response.

"Please, Blaine!" She was sobbing now. "Please come back!"

When there was no change in Blaine's defeated posture, she pulled her hands back and stared at him through her tears.

_What do I do?_

_Where did he go?_

_It's like… he just disappeared._

A thought struck Carole that made her feel sick to her stomach.

_He regressed._

_He's protecting himself by disappearing inside of his own mind._

She reached back up and placed both of her trembling hands on the sides of Blaine's face, pulling his long curls out from in front of his eyes.

"Sweetie, please." Her voice was rough and filled with emotion. "I need you to listen to me. Nothing is going to happen to you. You're safe."

Nothing.

"Blaine!" A little louder this time. "Please, please just… wake up!"

Blaine's eyes flickered just slightly.

His breathing was still ineffective, and his lips had turned a frightening shade of blue.

Carole racked her brain for something, _anything_ she could do to bring him back from his nightmare.

"Kurt needs you!"

She knew it was crazy, but she was desperate.

If anyone could snap Blaine out of this, it would be Kurt.

"Blaine, please! Kurt needs you to be here with him. Come back, Blaine. Please!"

Another tiny flicker behind the darkness of his eyes.

"Wake up!" She shouted again. "For Kurt!"

* * *

_The hands were pressing on his face now and the screams were reverberating through his skull. _

_Stop screaming at me._

_Please… just stop._

_Let me go._

_I just want it to stop._

_The burning was gone now. _

_Replaced by a cold, hollow emptiness._

_He felt nothing. _

_But the screams were still ringing in his ears like echoes across a canyon._

_His mind flickered when one of the screams turned into a desperate plea._

_Kurt?_

_Oh god, Kurt._

_No. _

_You can't have Kurt._

_Leave him out of this!_

_A new wave of strength surged through him as he fought against the invisible cords that bound his body and mind._

_Leave him alone._

_Leave him alone!_

_He fought back against the darkness, desperate to claw at the hands that were touching him. _

_Too many hands._

* * *

Carole gasped when she saw that Blaine was beginning to stir. His eyes were clenched shut now, as though he was concentrating with all his might.

"Blaine? That's it sweetie… You're doing so good…" She praised. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as she stood up in front of where Blaine remained sitting in the chair next to the kitchen table. "Come back, Blaine. Come back for Kurt."

Suddenly Blaine's eyes sprung open and his head shot up.

He was awake, but not conscious.

There, but not there.

Still obviously caught in a web of his own nightmares, Blaine brought his hand up and tried to push Carole's fingers away from his face.

"Shhh…" She hushed, moving in closer. "It's okay…"

Blaine didn't hear her words.

He struggled until he managed to rip his left shoulder out of its sling and brought both hands up in a desperate struggle to free himself.

"Blaine, please stop honey." Carole begged. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

Blaine batted at her hands, and pushed back with his legs.

_Escape._

_You have to fight. _

_Protect Kurt._

_Don't let them take him._

He was still gasping for breaths, sucking in air between his clenched teeth as he desperately fought off his imaginary attacker.

It was then that Carole made a critical mistake.

She moved her body closer to Blaine's, in an innocent attempt to pull him into her arms and calm the frightened boy down.

When the still-incoherent Blaine felt the advance, he kicked out his legs and threw himself back in a reckless attempt to free himself from his nightmare.

His body, still starved from lack of oxygen, hit the back of the wooden chair with an unexpected force.

And he toppled over backwards.

* * *

Kurt hated History.

It was undoubtedly the most boring of all his classes.

He thumped his pencil on the notebook in front of him and brought a hand up to support his chin_._

_When the hell will I ever need to know (or care) about the Polish uprising in 1956?_

Bored didn't even begin to describe this.

He glanced mindlessly out the window to his left.

There was a yellow canary on a tree branch just above the windowsill.

Kurt watched as the delicate yellow bird hopped around gracefully on the branch.

He imagined the song that it might be singing.

Soft, sweet and gentle little chirps.

_I wonder if Blaine would like a pet._

_A yellow canary would be nice._

_Easy enough to take care of. _

_And I bet I could design a gorgeous Burberry-esque cover for it's cage… _

He smiled to himself as he considered different names for the bird.

_It would have to be a famous musician. _

_Whitney? Nah._

_Patty? Hmmm… maybe._

_Maybe it's a boy bird._

_Mozart? _

_Pav…_

His thoughts were interrupted as a searing pain whipped through his chest.

It caught him by such surprise that a tiny gasp escaped his lips.

Mike Chang, who was sitting next to him, turned and flashed him a look.

_You okay dude?_

Kurt, slightly embarrassed, tried to wave it off.

"Just indigestion. I guess my lunch didn't agree with me."

Mike gave him another look – this time Kurt could almost hear his thoughts.

_Ooohhhkaaay then… TMI dude._

Kurt straightened up in his seat only seconds before another sharp, stabbing ache filled his chest.

This time he pitched himself forward and brought a hand up to the middle of his sternum.

_What the hell is happening to me?_

_Seventeen -year-olds don't get chest pain._

The pain intensified, until he was filled with a horrible, agonizing ache.

_Oh god._

_I think I'm dying._

He felt his throat constrict just slightly and it felt as though he couldn't pull in enough air.

It felt like he'd just fallen onto his back and knocked the wind out of his lungs.

It was terrifying.

Suddenly a whisper of a thought whipped across his mind.

_Blaine._

_Something is wrong._

His mind raced with potential scenarios as he fumbled into his pocket, desperate to find his phone.

_He didn't answer this morning when I called. _

_He hasn't replied to any of my texts._

_Something is wrong._

Kurt ignored the strange looks he was receiving from his classmates and stood up from his desk, digging further into his pocket until his fingers landed on his phone.

He pulled it out and looked at the screen.

It was empty.

No missed calls.

No texts.

Just as he was about to slide his finger across the screen to unlock it, it started buzzing in his hand.

* * *

**BLAINE ANDERSON CALLING**

* * *

Kurt almost dropped the still-buzzing phone.

_How the hell…?_

He quickly sidestepped passed the rows of desks in front of him and made a mad dash out the classroom door, completely ignoring Ms. Hansen's protests.

The second Kurt was out of the room he swiped his finger across the bottom of the screen and quickly lifted the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" He answered quickly.

Too quickly.

"Blaine? What's wrong?"

The moment the call connected, his worst nightmares came to life.

He heard screaming.

Desperate, agonized screaming.

_Oh my god._

"Blaine?" He wailed into the phone. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

More screams.

The hairs on the back of Kurt's neck stood on end.

His feet were planted on the floor where he stood in the middle of the desolate hallway.

He couldn't move it he wanted to.

"Blaine? Please?"

He was shaking.

Something was so very, very wrong.

"Blaine! Damn it! Just talk to me! Tell me what's wrong!"

He was sobbing now.

He felt so helpless.

"Kurt?"

He pressed the phone tighter against the side of his face.

_Had he heard that?_

_Was someone there?_

"Blaine?" He cried desperately.

_Please, let it be Blaine. _

_Please. _

_Please. _

_PLEASE._

"Kurt, it's Carole."

Kurt's eyes widened and his heart sunk.

_Why does she have Blaine's phone?_

_What the fuck is going on?_

_Who's screaming?_

_Is that Blaine?_

"Carole?" Kurt's voice was hysterical. "What's…"

He was cut off.

"It's Blaine. He's… he's… well, he's freaking out and I don't know what to do!"

Kurt's heart fell to the floor.

_Carole was crying._

_Carole didn't cry._

_What is happening?_

"W-what happened?" He managed between desperate sobs.

He heard Carole saying something too quietly for him to hear - perhaps trying to calm Blaine with soothing and relaxing words?

It obviously wasn't working.

More terrified screams filled the background.

"Carole?" He asked despairingly.

"He-he had some sort of flashback or something and he zoned out, but then he came back… well… _kind of _came back, but then he panicked..." The words rushed out of her mouth.

Kurt gulped, trying to remain calm.

_Carole was hysterical._

_Carole didn't get hysterical._

_Something was really, really wrong._

"He started swinging his arms around… It was like he was trying to protect himself or something, I-I don't know. But then he tipped the chair over. He landed pretty hard Kurt." She explained. "He won't let me touch him or help him. He just keeps screaming. I don't know what to do."

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he re-opened them, he dug deep and found the courage to move his feet.

He needed to get somewhere more private.

There was no way he was going to be able to talk Blaine down while standing in the middle of the hallway, halfway panicked himself.

He started walking briskly to his left.

He knew where he'd go.

"Carole…" He instructed as he hurried down the empty hallway. He was trying desperately to keep his voice calm. "Put me on speakerphone."

* * *

"Blaine? Can you hear me?" He said loudly. "It's Kurt. I'm here Blaine."

Nothing.

He kept walking.

It was more of a _jog_, really.

At one point a teacher had stepped out in front of him. He'd shouted something about running in the halls, but Kurt had simply ignored him and kept running.

"Blaine, I need you to listen to my voice."

Nothing.

Kurt kept running until he arrived at his destination.

The girl's bathroom at the end of the hallway.

It was so far away from the majority of the classrooms, that people rarely used it.

It was perfect.

He rushed inside and quickly checked under the stall doors to make sure no one else was inside before he turned back to the door and latched it shut.

And locked it.

"Blaine?" He tried again. "Please listen to me. I need you to focus on my voice."

The screams had quieted some, but Kurt could still hear the panicked noises on the other end of the line.

"Blaine? It's me Kurt… can you hear me?"

Nothing.

"I need you to listen to my voice Blaine." He said softly. "Focus on my voice."

When he got no reply, he started again.

"I'm here, Blaine. I'm listening. I'm sorry I can't be right beside you, and I'm sorry I wasn't there when you got scared, but I'm here now. I wish I could hold you in my arms right now. I wish I could hold your hands and press your head to my chest so you could hear my heart beat. Remember this morning when you felt my heartbeat? It's beating right now Blaine. For you. It beats for you. I need you to calm down your breathing so you can hear it, okay?"

Kurt was pacing the tile floor in the bathroom as he listened for any sign that he'd succeeded in getting through to the terrified boy on the other end of the line.

"K-Kurt?"

He stopped dead in his tracks - paralyzed like a dear in headlights.

The helplessness of the voice startled him.

It sounded broken and weak, like that of a small child.

A small, terrified child.

"I'm here Blaine." He cried. Tears were pooling down his cheeks by this point. "I'm right here."

Blaine was crying. The screams had stopped, but now he was crying uncontrollably.

Kurt could hear the desperate sobs through the phone.

"I'm here, sweetie." His voice cracked with emotion. "I'm right here, Blaine."

The sobbing continued.

"You're going to be okay now, Blaine. I promise."

Kurt leaned against the wall in the bathroom and allowed his lean frame to slide down until he was seated on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest. He hugged his legs tighter to his body with one arm, while the other clung desperately to his phone.

His lifeline to Blaine.

"Can you still hear me?" Kurt asked.

He could hear Blaine's stuttered gasps on the other end of the line; the boy's breathing had slowed, but was still much quicker than normal.

He heard Blaine sniffle, and could imagine him nodding, not realizing at that moment that Kurt wouldn't be able to see his action.

"Carole, are you still there too?" Kurt closed his eyes and tried to imagine the scene.

_Were they in Blaine's room?_

"Yes, Kurt." She said quietly. "I'm here. We're in the kitchen."

Kurt nodded, also unnecessarily.

"Is he doing better?"

"Yes honey… Blaine is feeling much better now, aren't you honey?"

Kurt closed his eyes, listening with all he could in case Blaine was about to answer.

He heard nothing.

Perhaps Blaine had nodded?

"Blaine?" Kurt asked again. "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

There was no answer for a few seconds until Kurt heard Carole speak once again.

"He shook his head. I think he's okay."

"Okay. That's good, Blaine. Thank you for telling me that." Kurt tried to sound reassuring.

He thought for a moment.

Blaine was still obviously in a state of confusion and disarray. He needed to get him calmed down more.

"Carole?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, honey?" She was sounding much more composed and relieved.

"Can you take me off speaker phone and give the phone to Blaine? If he's willing to take it, I mean."

Several seconds passed and Kurt heard muffled sounds in the background before finally, he could hear short, swallow breathing thorough the receiver.

"Blaine?" He asked quietly. "Is that you?"

He heard a sniffle.

_Yes, it was definitely Blaine on the phone now._

"Hi, sweetie." Kurt spoke softly, gently. "Are you doing better now?"

Another sniffle.

Again, even with his eyes closed, Kurt could almost see Blaine nodding.

"Good." He said. "How are you feeling? Do you think you can walk?"

"Y-yes."

Kurt sucked in a quick breath and his eyes shot open.

He'd not expected Blaine to answer.

"Great." He managed to keep his voice steady. "Why don't you go into your bedroom and lay on your bed? It's much more comfortable in there, and then we can talk, okay?"

He paused, hoping that Blaine might consider talking again.

"O-Okay."

Tears slipped down Kurt's cheek as he sat on the cool tile floor in the girl's bathroom.

He waited for several seconds, imagining Blaine getting up off the floor in the kitchen, maybe with help from Carole and stepping quietly through the hallway.

_Had he re-injured himself?_

_Was he limping?_

_Did he need to lean against the wall for support?_

He was just about to ask Blaine when the boy's voice whispered quietly from the earpiece of his phone.

"I-I'm here."

"Okay – is it dark in there?"

Another slight pause.

Kurt could imagine Blaine looking up and around his room. It was still early afternoon, so Kurt suspected that there would still be a fair bit of natural light seeping in through the blinds.

"No, not really."

"Okay Blaine, can you close the blinds?" He asked. "You can set the phone down if you need to use your good hand."

"O-okay."

Kurt then heard a gentle _clunk, _indicating that Blaine had indeed followed his suggestion and laid his phone on his desk, or maybe on the bedside table. He listened hard, with his eyes closed once again, and heard the gentle sound of curtains being pulled before Blaine was back on the phone once again.

"Is the light turned off?" He asked.

"Yes."

"So it's a little bit dark in there now?"

"Uh huh."

"Blaine?" Kurt asked. "Do you trust me?"

Silence.

Kurt's heart was pounding as he waited for the boy's reply.

"Y-yes, Kurt."

Kurt closed his eyes and released a sigh of relief.

"Will you unlock the door?"

He heard a soft gasp from the boy on the other end of the line.

"I-I…" Blaine hesitated.

"It's okay, Blaine. No one is going to hurt you. Carole is downstairs and my dad will be home soon from the shop. You won't be home alone – _ever_."

Another drawn out silence.

"You're safe Blaine. I promise"

Kurt could feel Blaine's hesitation.

"O-okay." The boy finally whispered.

Kurt heard the gentle metal click of the door being unlocked and another tear streamed down his face.

_He trusts me._

"Thank you for trusting me, Blaine. It means a lot to me that you did that."

Silence.

"Why don't you lay on your bed and look up at your stars?" Kurt suggested softly. "Does that sound nice?"

He heard Blaine sniffle, and could imagine the boy using the back of his hand, which was still clutching the phone, to wipe away his tears.

"O-okay"

Kurt heard the springs of the mattress creak just slightly as Blaine crawled up onto his bed.

"Pull the covers up around you tight so you're nice and warm." Kurt instructed gently.

There was no demanding tone in his voice whatsoever, only one laced with love and kindness.

"Is Thumpy beside you?"

"Uh-huh." Another sniffle.

Kurt smiled, imagining the tiny boy tucked in tight under the blue faux mink blanket and the plush rabbit stuck in under his arm.

"Good boy." Kurt praised with a satisfied smile. "He'll keep you warm until I get home."

"Mmmhmmm."

"Can you see your stars?"

It was quiet for a brief moment.

"A little bit." Blaine answered softly. "It's not very dark in here."

Another tear slipped down Kurt's cheek.

Blaine's breathing had slowed right down.

He sounded almost… _relaxed_.

And he was talking.

Kurt's heart jumped for joy with every syllable.

He was so proud of him.

"That's okay, sweetie. You look at them the best you can." He said softly. "Can you count them?"

A few minutes passed where all Kurt could hear was Blaine's soft breaths against the speaker of the phone.

_He was actually counting the stars._

"I-I lost count." Blaine said with a yawn.

"That's okay. You can start again if you want to." Kurt smiled. "You sound tired. Did you have a busy day with Carole?"

Another yawn, followed by a sleepy sounding, "Uh-huh."

"That's good sweetheart. I'm glad that you had a good day."

Silence for a few minutes.

"Did you find the CD that I left for you?"

"No." Blaine answered. His voice changed to one filled with guilt and sadness as he added, "I'm sorry that I missed your text."

"That's perfectly alright, sweetie." Kurt reassured. "I'm glad that Carole kept you busy all day. You can listen to it tomorrow."

"Okaaaay." The single word was elongated as Blaine sucked in another yawn.

"You can close your eyes if you want to, Blaine. I'll stay on the phone until you fall asleep."

"Promise?"

Kurt's heart warmed.

"I promise."

Several more minutes passed, with no sounds coming from the phone aside from the rhythmic pattern of Blaine's breathing.

Kurt was almost certain that the boy had fallen asleep until Blaine's sleepy voice sounded once more.

"Kurt?"

"Yes, Blaine?"

"W-will you please sing to me?"

Kurt smiled.

"Of course."

He dropped his legs and re-adjusted himself until he was sitting cross-legged on the hard tile floor and began the first song that popped into his head.

_When your tears are spent on your last pretense_

_And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense_

_When it's in your spine like you've walked for miles_

_And the only thing you want is just to be still for a while_

_If your heart wears thin I will hold you up_

_And I will hide you when it gets too much_

_I'll be right beside you_

_I'll be right beside you_

_When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath_

_When the space between the things you know is blurry nonetheless_

_When you try to speak but you make no sound_

_And the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud_

_If your heart wears thin I will hold you up_

_And I will hide you when it gets too much_

_I'll be right beside you_

_I'll be right beside you_

_I will stay_

_Nobody will break you_

_Trust in me, trust in me_

_Don't pull away_

_Trust in me, trust in me_

_I'm just trying to keep it together_

_Because I could do worse and you could do better_

_Tears are spent on your last pretense_

_And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense_

_If your heart wears thin I will hold you up_

_And I will hide you when it gets too much_

_I'll be right beside you_

_Nobody will break you_

When Kurt finished the last line of the song, he brought the back of his free hand up to his face and brushed away a stray tear. He'd managed to keep his voice relatively strong and consistent throughout his entire rendition of the song, despite the flooding emotions that overwhelmed his senses.

He pushed his phone tighter to his ear and listened carefully to Blaine's soft, even breaths.

_Was he asleep?_

After several more seconds of silence, Kurt allowed his shoulders to sag, tension rolling off of him in waves.

He'd done it.

Blaine was going to be okay again.

About that time, a tiny whimper broke the pattern of Blaine's breathing.

_Was he dreaming?_

_A nightmare?_

_Or had he not quite fallen asleep?_

"It's okay, Blaine." Kurt whispered softly into the phone. "You're going to be okay now."

When he received no reply, Kurt sighed. "I promise."

He cleared the emotion from his throat and began singing another song.

_When the visions around you_

_Bring tears to your eyes_

_And all that surround you_

_Are secrets and lies_

_I'll be your strength_

_I'll give you hope_

_Keeping your faith when it's gone_

_The one you should call_

_Was standing here all along_

_And I will take_

_You in my arms_

_And hold you right where you belong_

_Till the day my life is through_

_This I promise you_

_This I promise you_

_I've loved you forever_

_In lifetimes before_

_And I promise you never_

_Will you hurt anymore_

_I give you my word_

_I give you my heart_

_This is a battle we've won_

_And with this vow_

_Forever has now begun_

_Just close your eyes_

_Each loving day_

_I know this feeling won't go away_

_Till the day my life is through_

_This I promise you_

_This I promise you_

_Over and over I fall_

_When I hear you call_

_Without you in my life baby_

_I just wouldn't be living at all_

_And I will take_

_You in my arms_

_And hold you right where you belong_

_Till the day my life is through_

_This I promise you_

_Just close your eyes_

_Each loving day_

_I know this feeling won't go away_

_Every word I say is true_

_This I promise you_

_Every word I say is true_

_This I promise you_

_Ooh, I promise you_

Kurt ended the song with a soft fading note.

However, this time when he listened, all he could hear were Blaine's soft snores.

* * *

**~ Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**

* * *

_"Beside You" by Marianas Trench_

_"This I Promise You" by N Sync_


	31. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

**Just wanted to say a huge heartfelt THANK YOU to all my readers for sticking with me while I re-wrote the next chapter. The encouraging messages meant so much to me. **

**I couldn't have done it without your support.**

**Thank you everyone,**

**Xoxoxo**  
**-Ryleigh**

**ps. Lesson of the day: Always save your work in 19 different places...**


	32. I Don't Want To Hide - Part IV

**Author's Note:**

**I've decided to forgo my regular 'Review Response' section and just tell everyone how much I truly appreciate the support you've given me. I was heartbroken when I lost this chapter and it took an incredible amount of strength and courage for me to re-write it. This chapter is very emotional for me personally, and it's literally the peak of Blaine's angst, so it was extremely difficult to write once, let alone twice. **

**But many of you sent me encouraging notes and that fuelled me and kept me going. **

**You'll never know how much that meant to me. **

**Thank you for you patience. **

**I love and appreciate each and every one of you.**

**Just a note - Once again, my brain went into overdrive... this is a very very long chapter and I still had to split it in half. There will be another part to "I Don't Want To Hide". Sorry for stretching it out so much. Never again will I use lyrics as chapter titles... **

**Anyways… without further ado…**

**Here's the next chapter.**

**I'm sorry it's such a horrible one… please forgive me.**

**XOXO**

**Love, **

**Ryleigh**

* * *

***** HEAVY TRIGGER WARNING *****

*****Mentions of suicidal thoughts and depictions of self harm*****

**This chapter also contains depictions of violence, psychological/emotional manipulation, coarse language and graphic non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 27 Part Four

Soft snores seeped from Blaine's lips as he shifted unconsciously in his sleep.

His dark curls had fallen upon his face in a tangled mess, partially obscuring his eyes, but his long, impossibly thick eyelashes were still visible, splayed lazily upon the tops of his sunken cheekbones.

With every breath the tiny teen exhaled, a spiraling lock of near-black hair wisped helplessly along the curve of his cheek.

Blaine nestled his face deeper into the pillow with a contented sigh and smacked his lips just softly enough to be audible.

He was definitely still sound asleep.

Kurt smiled and carefully leaned forward to pull the heavy mink blanket tighter under Blaine's chin.

He didn't stir.

Blaine was laying on his right side, with his knees pulled high into his chest, curling himself into a tight ball, which made him look even smaller than Kurt deemed possible.

His arms were stretched out above him, extending through the slots in the wooden headboard, with his hands lightly clasped together at the inside of this wrists.

The sling from Blaine's left shoulder was nowhere to be seen; apparently the frightened teen had ripped it off in the midst of his most recent panic attack.

Kurt sighed as he took in the sight of both of Blaine's arms resting high above his head as he slept.

He hoped that Blaine's meltdown had not caused his already decrepit body any further damage.

The boy's phone remained clutched tightly in his hand, even as he slept. Kurt carefully pulled the device out of Blaine's fingers and set it gently on the nightstand beside his bed without a sound. He could see the corner of Blaine's brown leather journal peeking out from underneath his pillow and for half a second, Kurt found himself wishing that he could just take a peek.

But the fleeting thought vanished as quickly as it had appeared when he glanced down again at the boy's slumbering form.

_He needs to learn to trust again._

_Reading his journal would only be breaking the tiny iota of trust we've worked so hard to rebuild._

The stuffed rabbit 'Thumpy' was lying forgotten by Blaine's waist so Kurt gently pulled is old friend out from underneath the heavy blanket.

"Thank you for taking care of him for me." He whispered softly, scratching the rabbit between its plush ears.

When the rabbit didn't reply, Kurt reached across and tucked him under the blanket, next to Blaine's broad chest.

This time, the movement caused the sleeping boy to stir slightly, and Kurt noticed that both of Blaine's fists tightened momentarily as though he was fighting the urge to pull his hands away from where they remained positioned at the head of the bed.

Barely visible under a mass of messy curls, the olive skin on Blaine's forehead wrinkled slightly, forming shallow creases, causing his bushy eyebrows to knit together as a tiny whimper escaped his lips.

A violent shiver snaked up Kurt's spine and his breath caught in his throat when it suddenly dawned on him as to why Blaine was laying in this seemingly awkward position.

_That's how he slept when he was tied up in his cage._

Kurt brought his hand up to muffle the tiny gasp that threated to leave his own lips as he stared down at the beautiful boy lying on the bed beside him. Blaine was shifting now, his body twisting and turning away from the demons that plagued his slumber.

Kurt gulped before he reached up hesitantly and carefully lowered Blaine's injured left arm until it was resting comfortably on the bed next to him. The moment his mind recognized this change, Blaine unconsciously shifted in his sleep until his hand clutched Thumpy and pulled the fluffy creature closer into his chest.

After emitting a stuttered sigh, Blaine's whole body seemed to relax deeper into the mattress and his breathing returned to normal as he drifted back into a restful slumber.

The demons were gone.

* * *

Someone was playing with his hair.

Fingers were tangling themselves in his messy curls.

Blaine clenched his eyes tight and tried to control his breathing.

_Fake it._

_Pretend you're asleep._

_Sometimes they don't hurt you when you're asleep._

_Sometimes._

He could feel the warmth of a human body lying next to him and he couldn't help but allow his muscles to tense up.

_Stop it._

_He's going to know you're awake._

The fingers continued to dance lightly through his hair, spinning and twisting the curls and Blaine could feel his throat tightening with every passing second.

_Breathe._

_He'll notice if you stop breathing and he'll know you're awake._

_Then he'll make you suck him off again._

_He always makes you do that when you wake up._

_When your throat is dry._

Blaine willed his body to relax and focused all of his strength on breathing deep, effective breaths.

_In and out._

_In and out._

He could feel something soft pressing under his chin, but he knew it wouldn't be a blanket.

It couldn't be.

They never let him have a blanket.

And why was he comfortable?

His cage was not comfortable.

It was hard and cold, and made his back and neck ache and his knees hurt from having to crouch himself into a tiny ball.

This wasn't hard and cold.

No… this was warm and soft.

Blaine wanted to peek open his eyes to see what the softness might be, but he couldn't risk it.

He couldn't risk them knowing he was awake.

_In and out._

_In and out._

He continued the rhythmic pattern of breathing until…

_Wait._

_Something is different._

Something didn't smell right.

It didn't smell… _old_.

Or damp, or rotten or scary.

It smelled… _warm_?

Like vanilla.

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed without his permission.

_Why did it smell like vanilla?_

He took in another deep breath.

_Yes, definitely vanilla._

The fingers continued to brush through his curls, and only then did Blaine realize that the fingers were very gentle. They weren't pulling on his hair, or pushing him down, or slapping his face.

They were soft.

Soothing.

_In and out._

_In and out._

He racked his brain to try and figure out this apparent riddle.

_What's going on?_

_Is this a trick?_

Blaine's curiosity peaked then, and he couldn't help but allow his eyes to slip open just a crack.

The softness _was_ a blanket.

And a rabbit.

_Wait…_

_A rabbit?_

_What the…?_

Then it hit him.

_Vanilla._

_It's Kurt._

_Kurt is here?_

_Why is…_

_Oh._

_Kurt's not here._

_But…I'm with Kurt?_

Even in Blaine's own mind, it sounded more like a question than a statement.

He allowed his eyes to drift open completely now but his vision was blurred and hazy from his nap.

Blaine ignored the protest from his shoulder as he lifted his arm up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand.

Eventually the colors in his vision sorted themselves out and he could see the blurry outline of a thin, delicate boy sitting next to him.

_Kurt?_

_Real Kurt?_

Blaine refused to allow himself to get too excited.

He'd been wrong before.

His mind had played many horrible tricks on him before.

Once, he'd dreamed that Kurt was with him, holding him, and that they were both warm and safe.

But then he'd woken up to find that it definitely wasn't Kurt holding him.

And he wasn't warm _or_ safe.

No… he wasn't going to make that mistake again.

He'd made himself a vow long ago that he would not allow himself any hope until he knew for sure that he was safe.

It took another couple of minutes until his vision had cleared enough so he could finally make out the details of the beautiful boy sitting next to him.

Flawless porcelain skin.

Soft-looking golden hair styled into a perfect coif.

And those eyes.

Those eyes could only belong to Kurt.

_His_ Kurt.

Blaine sighed audibly and allowed his sleepy eyelids to fall closed once again as he melted back into his pillow with a dopey smile.

_Kurt._

_Kurt was here._

_His Kurt._

_Wait…_

_KURT!_

Blaine's eyes shot back open and he sucked in a surprised breath.

Kurt (_his_ _Kurt_) was looking at him with a gentle smile.

"Hi." The older teen whispered softly.

Blaine's heart clenched.

_It's him._

_Only 'my' Kurt has that beautiful voice. _

_He's really here._

"Y-you came back."

The words were rough, sleep-filled and desperate, but they were _words_ and each one sent a new round of chills up Kurt's spine.

"Of course I came back." He said softly. "I made you a promise, Blaine."

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Blaine's forehead.

"I always keep my promises."

It was quiet for a few minutes as both boys simply stared at each other, Blaine looking up at where Kurt sat on the bed next to him still twisting his fingers through his curls.

Kurt wanted to ask Blaine about his panic attack; ask him about what caused him to lose himself as he had and if he was actually feeling better now, but he was afraid to break the silence.

Blaine, on the other hand, seemed oddly comfortable and uncharacteristically relaxed at that moment and Kurt had no desire to interrupt that.

He looked down at the younger teen's face, and could see that the boy's forehead had suddenly become creased.

He was contemplating something.

_Was he trying to think of something to say?_

Kurt desperately hoped so.

He had been so excited when Blaine had kept up a conversation with him on the phone earlier, especially considering the circumstances during said phone call. It was by far the most words the teen had spoken since everything had happened, and Kurt ached to keep him speaking.

He missed talking to the curly-haired boy.

Blaine turned his head to the left, as if to look out the window, temporarily forgetting that he'd pulled the blinds closed himself only hours ago.

He felt incredibly disorientated.

_What time is it?_

Two faint slivers of soft glowing light streaked into the room from each side of the heavy fabric blinds that covered the window.

It was impossible for Blaine to determine the time of day.

He felt somewhat rested, but it wasn't dark enough outside to be the middle of the night.

_It must still be mid afternoon._

_But… why is Kurt home already?_

He knit his eyebrows together for a brief moment in contemplation before turning back towards the pale boy sitting in the spot next to him on the bed.

"Y-you… d-didn't leave school early, did you?"

Kurt didn't miss the guilt that was heavily embroidered into each of Blaine's broken words.

He sighed.

_Leave it to Blaine to worry about me missing class._

If he was being honest, Kurt hadn't left the school immediately after he'd ended his phone call with the sleeping boy.

But he certainly wasn't going to tell Blaine that he'd spent over 15 minutes sitting on the floor of the girl's bathroom shaking and crying his eyes out uncontrollably.

He didn't think that would go over very well.

"It's okay, sweetie." He reassured, several seconds later. "I only skipped French."

Blaine frowned, but before he could express his guilt once again, Kurt continued.

"Honestly, Blaine." He explained with a soft smile. "It's okay. I have almost a perfect grade in that class. Actually, I'm more fluent than the teacher."

Blaine looked doubtful.

Kurt picked up on Blaine's reservation immediately and a sparkle twinkled in his eye as he turned back towards Blaine with a grin.

"_Tu es beau et courageux, et je ne te laisserai jamais tomber."_

Blaine blinked in surprise as the foreign words flowed flawlessly from between Kurt's lips.

"Th-that was beautiful." He managed. "What does it mean?"

Blaine didn't notice the tips of Kurt's ears turning a rosy shade of pink as he translated his last words.

* * *

"**You are beautiful and brave, and I will never let you fall."**

* * *

Blaine sucked in a stunned breath and his thick eyebrows crept higher on his forehead.

Heat flooded into his hollow chest and his neck and cheeks turned a shade of pink, almost identical to the color of Kurt's ears.

He couldn't force himself to keep Kurt's gaze any longer, so he looked away and lowered his head, with Kurt's words tumbling though his brain.

_Beautiful. _

_Brave._

Kurt watched sadly as Blaine refused to keep eye contact with him.

_That was not exactly the response I was going for._

_Maybe I shouldn't have said that._

_Why isn't he saying anything?_

A violent shiver snaked up Kurt's spine as a gut-wrenching thought flitted through his brain.

_What if he doesn't want to talk anymore?_

He'd felt so excited… _ecstatic_ _even_, when speaking with Blaine on the phone earlier that afternoon. The boy's words had filled Kurt with hope, pride and gave him the strength to keep up his brave front.

It was ironic really, that Blaine's bravery had given Kurt the courage to keep talking to Blaine and calm him down.

But now here he was, silently avoiding eye contact once again.

_So much for progress…_

Kurt sighed and shifted slightly on the bed next to where Blaine lay, still on his right side, but with his eyes downcast, and the fingers of his right hand fumbling monotonously with Thumpy's soft, black whiskers.

He was about to say something further when Blaine's meek voice sounded feebly from beside him.

"I-I wasn't very brave today, Kurt."

Kurt's pounding heart shattered at the emptiness of Blaine's words.

_Shame._

_Disappointment._

_Sadness._

"Blaine…" He cried. "You _were_ brave today. So, so brave."

The smaller boy didn't look up.

"You talked to me today, Blaine. On the phone." Kurt continued. "That was _so_ brave of you. I know you have trouble with your words sometimes, but you talked to me on the phone today… and that was _huge_ sweetheart. You were so brave."

Blaine finally lifted his head and looked at Kurt with wide, anguish-filled hazel eyes.

_You're not disappointed in me?_

"I'm so proud of you, Blaine." Kurt answered Blaine's unasked question. "You made me feel strong and brave today too. Just by talking to me. _You_ did that. You gave _me_ courage."

A lone tear slipped down Blaine's cheek as he considered Kurt's words.

_I helped him?_

_I helped Kurt._

Kurt smiled and lifted his thumb up to wipe away the stray tear.

"You were perfect."

Blaine sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth and chewed on it for a brief second before pushing himself up with his elbows in a weak attempt to sit up straighter in the bed.

A sharp surge of pain streaked up his shoulder and into his neck and Blaine was unable to contain the tiny pained wince that leaked from his lips.

Kurt noticed immediately.

"Does your shoulder hurt? You were kind of… laying… funny."

Blaine took in a deep breath, carefully considering the consequences of a wrong answer, before he shook his head.

_I'm fine._

_I'm fine._

_I'm fine._

Kurt didn't buy it for a second.

"It does, doesn't it?" He asked, assisting Blaine into a sitting position next to him on the bed.

The teen had pulled his arm into himself and was cradling it gently across his chest with his other hand.

Kurt could see him struggling to maintain a regular breathing pattern. He looked at Blaine and raised an eyebrow as if to say, _'please… just tell me the truth.'_

Blaine hesitated. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and then he finally nodded his head slowly.

"That's what I figured." Kurt said. "Your sling is in the kitchen. We'll get it when we go out for dinner."

Blaine nodded.

"Thank you for being honest with me." Kurt offered quietly.

Blaine nodded again, although this time, maybe not quite as deliberately.

"We'll get Carole to have a look at your shoulder… just to make sure it's not re-injured, okay?"

Blaine's heart plummeted.

_Carole_.

_He'd forgotten about Carole._

The memories from that afternoon rushed back into his mind and a look of pain flickered onto his face.

"Is she… mad at me?"

Kurt closed his eyes briefly and drew in a deep breath. He'd been anticipating this reaction from Blaine since Carole had filled him in on what had transpired that afternoon.

"Of course she's not mad at you Blaine." He explained slowly. "She was just scared."

Blaine's face was still scrunched in concern, so Kurt continued.

"Carole was worried about you. She just wanted to help."

Nothing.

Kurt paused, carefully considering his next words.

He knew that if he said the wrong thing, it could potentially cause Blaine to relapse into a catatonic state.

"You don't have to take any medicine, okay Blaine?"

The boy beside him tensed immediately. Kurt felt the boy's muscles tighten beside him and knew he'd struck the right chord.

_But had he struck that chord too hard?_

_Time for damage control._

"Carole was just trying to help, but she said the wrong thing… okay?"

Kurt started breathing again when Blaine nodded, albeit unconvincingly.

"You don't have to take anything you don't want to. I promise."

Another nod.

They sat in silence for several minutes until Kurt decided to take a second plunge.

"Do you… want to _talk_ about what happened today?"

Blaine hesitated.

Kurt's heart thumped wildly in his chest.

_He hesitated._

_Usually it's a quick headshake._

_Progress?_

"I-I don't wanna talk about what happened with anyone. Ever."

Kurt's heart stopped thumping all together.

_Oh._

_Not progress._

"That's completely okay, Blaine. I understand." He said with a sad, but silent sigh. "But please, just know that you can talk to me about anything. Okay? I'm not going anywhere."

Kurt reached over and squeezed Blaine's uninjured shoulder and looked him square in the eye.

"You're stuck with me, Blaine Anderson."

Blaine risked a look up at Kurt and nodded, his hazel eyes brimming with tears.

"I'll never be mad at you for telling me something. Or disappointed. Ever. I might feel sad and angry but I'm never going to be angry with you. I'm sad about what happened to you and I'm… _pissed off _at the ones who did it, but it's not your fault, Blaine. None of this is your fault." Kurt took a breath to compose himself before continuing. "I just wanted to make sure that you understood that, okay? I need you to know that I'll never be upset with you. I lo… I-I mean… I _really care_ about you Blaine, and I want you to be happy. It makes me happy when you tell me things. It means that you trust me, Blaine. And I want you to feel like you can trust me."

Silence.

Extended silence.

Kurt gulped.

_Maybe I shouldn't have…_

_What if…_

_Damn it._

_Why did I…?_

He'd turned to the side and was just about to ask Blaine if he was alright when he noticed a look of heavy concentration on the teen's face.

His eyebrows were knit together in the middle of his face and his skin on his forehead was pulled into thick, deep creases. Blaine's full lips were parted, just slightly, and trembling just enough to be visible.

He was preparing to speak.

Choosing his words very, _very_ carefully.

Kurt's heart pounded in his chest and he could feel the palms of his hands becoming cold and clammy as he anxiously waited for Blaine to speak.

"I-I don't want to take the medicine anymore."

Blaine's words were hushed and weak. He sounded like a scared little boy.

Then Kurt remembered… Blaine _was_ a scared little boy.

He nodded once, encouraging Blaine to continue, but he was afraid to speak his own words; not wanting to risk the chance of accidentally interrupting what could potentially be a life changing testimonial.

There was another long pause.

With every second that ticked away, Kurt grew more and more anxious.

_What was he going to say?_

_Was he actually going to talk about what happened?_

"They…" Blaine gulped and cleared his throat before continuing. "They… m-made me take a bunch of different p-pills. And sometimes they used needles in my arms."

Kurt went rigid.

_This is new._

"Most of them made it so I couldn't think properly and everything was really fuzzy." Blaine explained slowly. He mindlessly tugged at Thumpy's ears as he continued.

"Sometimes it was like I couldn't even move. It felt like my arms and legs were… _really_ heavy and I couldn't even lift them."

Kurt stayed quiet.

He knew there was more coming.

What he didn't know was that Blaine would start shaking.

Or that tears would start streaming down the boy's face as he recalled his worst nightmares.

Kurt silently reached over, clutched Blaine's fingers into his own and gave them a gentle, but encouraging squeeze.

_Please… Please don't stop now, Blaine._

_You're doing so good._

Blaine squeezed his eyes closed, which pushed several more tears down the stains on his cheeks as he sucked in a ragged breath.

"They m-made me take… _pills_… that made my… _m-me_…. look like I was… _enjoying_ it."

Blaine started sobbing as he finished his confession. His body pitched forward several times as the emotion surged through his system.

"I'm so sorry, K-Kurt." He cried, sucking in shallow, ragged breaths. "I swear I didn't enjoy it. I p-promise!"

Kurt was frozen.

He'd had no idea…

"I didn't like it… I swear!" Blaine continued. He was sobbing uncontrollably now, after pulling his hand out from Kurt's fingers and he was rocking back and forth on the bed with his knees drawn up into his chest. "I hated it! I hated it so much!"

Without warning, Blaine brought his palms up and began smacking his clenched fists into the sides of his head frantically and tangling his fingers into his curls, angrily pulling on them.

The sight of Blaine physically attacking himself was enough to snap Kurt out of his stupor and he immediately took action. He desperately reached over and pulled Blaine's arms down from where his fists were still angrily pounding on his temples and drew the sobbing boy into his chest.

They fell together onto the bed and Blaine immediately nestled his face into the spot directly below Kurt's chin. His fists tightened in Kurt's hands, his fingers anxiously grabbing for something… _anything_… to clutch onto.

"I swear I didn't like it… I swear, Kurt… I swear... I hated it so much... They hurt me... I hated it… I HATED it!"

The words tumbled out of Blaine's mouth, muffled slightly by Kurt's own body, but he heard each and every one of them.

And each and every one of them filled his heart with acid.

There were tears.

So many tears, and they pooled down Kurt's porcelain cheeks like an April rainstorm.

He couldn't stop them if he tried.

"I know you didn't… I know it… It was the drugs, Blaine... Just the drugs… I know, sweetheart... I know... It's going to be okay…"

His words of attempted reassurance flowed just as freely as Blaine's destructive ones, leaving a steady stream of two voices rambling in disjointed synchronicity.

They remained like this for several minutes, until Blaine's pleas for forgiveness finally tapered off and his trembling subsided.

Kurt, finally feeling more composed, pulled Blaine tighter into his chest and placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head before he carefully pried the boy's boneless form away from his chest.

It was like moving a rag doll.

Kurt reached across and gently lifted Blaine's chin until their eyes met.

Blaine's face was flushed, his eyes bloodshot and puffy from crying. His tangled curls were splayed messily across his forehead until Kurt reached up with his left hand and gently tucked them behind Blaine's right ear.

Kurt then leaned forward and pressed his own forehead together with Blaine's and they laid together in complete silence, until their breathing patterns were completely synchronized.

Blaine's eyes had drifted closed, and apart from a few uncontrolled sobs, he looked as though he might have been asleep.

Kurt allowed his own eyes to drift closed as he felt the warmth of Blaine's skin against his own and the gentle puff of each of the boy's breaths, soft as a whisper, against his nose.

_In and out._

_In and out._

A shiver streaked up Blaine's spine, strong enough that Kurt could feel him shudder underneath him.

"I'm going to pull the covers up." Kurt whispered softly, without pulling his face away from Blaine's. "Is it okay if I snuggle with you?"

Blaine nodded hypnotically.

Kurt reached down with his free hand and pulled the soft mink blanket up until it was draped heavily over them both.

Only then did he finally pull his forehead away from Blaine's and look down at the boy with tear-stained cheeks.

Blaine was curled up with his knees drawn up into his chest and his face buried under the edge of the blanket. His injured left arm remained clutched tightly over his torso while his right fist was gripped firmly onto the sleeve of Kurt's sweater.

He was fast asleep.

Another round of tears trickled down from Kurt's exhausted eyes as he tucked the boy back into his chest and held him in his arms, never to let go.

"We're going to be okay now, Blaine. We're going to be okay."

* * *

It was about an hour or so later when Kurt felt the exact moment that Blaine had woken up without peeking under the covers.

His breathing pattern had changed.

Kurt carefully lifted the heavy mink blanket away from where it obstructed his view of the tiny boy still nestled into his chest and sighed.

Blaine was hugging Thumpy with his left arm and had the fingers of his right hand entwined within Kurt's.

The second the blanket was pulled away from his face, Blaine's eyes darted open and met Kurt's.

"Hi." Kurt said with a soft smile. He gave Blaine's fingers a gentle squeeze.

The corners of Blaine's eyes crinkled just slightly at the contact and a small, tired smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he reciprocated the gentle touch.

Kurt was so relieved to see that fraction of a smile, that it may as well have been a huge, toothy grin.

"Hi." Blaine whispered back softly. His voice was deep and raspy, still laced with sleep, but it filled Kurt's heart to the brim with warmth and hope.

"Are you doing okay?" He asked while rubbing his thumb gently over the back of Blaine's knuckles.

Blaine pulled in a deep, relaxed breath, and nodded.

Another wave of relief flooded Kurt's veins, but before he could continue, Blaine surprised him with a question.

"A-Are you?"

He wasn't sure why, but Kurt's brain spun out a little bit with the question. He wasn't anticipating it.

At all.

"Yes." He replied. "I'm doing great."

The two teens stared at each other for a full minute before Kurt finally broke his gaze and looked down at the plush rabbit tucked tightly under Blaine's arm.

"Thank you for keeping Thumpy warm." Kurt said with a crooked grin. He then wrinkled up his nose in mock disgust before continuing. "He gets pretty grumpy if he's not snuggled under the covers."

The sound that came out of Blaine's lips made Kurt feel as though a host of angels had appeared in the bedroom and begun singing.

Blaine had giggled.

It wasn't much, and it certainly wasn't very loud, but it was undoubtedly a giggle.

Kurt smiled the widest smile he had in days.

_Weeks even_.

"I have something for you." He said, pulling the blankets off himself and quickly climbing out the opposite side of the bed.

Blaine struggled to sit himself up and watched as Kurt tiptoed across the cool hardwood floor and over towards the desk. The teenager quickly grabbed something off the top of the desk before prancing his way back and pouncing unceremoniously onto the bed next to Blaine.

"It's so much warmer under here with you." Kurt giggled as he pulled the blanket back over his lap and nestled in beside his friend.

Both he and Blaine were now sitting up with their backs against the headboard of the bed, close enough together that their shoulders were touching.

Kurt didn't feel cold anymore.

"Okay…" He started with a smile as he handed Blaine the item he'd retrieved from the desk. "I made this for you."

Blaine opened up the thin, square plastic case to find a homemade CD. He smiled when he read Kurt's neatly printed words:

* * *

**To Blaine**

**From Kurt**

**COURAGE**

* * *

Blaine ran his finger across the words, and over a number of tiny green and black music hand drawn notes.

He smiled as he considered the amount of time it must have taken Kurt to doodle all of them.

_No wonder he took so long in his bedroom this morning._

_I can't believe he did this for me._

"I'm not sure if you remember what I said to you on the phone, but… it's filled with a bunch of songs that I thought might help cheer you up when you're feeling sad, or angry, or alone." Kurt explained. "I know it's like… _old fashioned_… to put songs on a CD, but… I didn't want to take your phone without permission and I always prefer having music on a disc that I can hold in my hand. I don't really know why… I guess it's kinda silly…It's…"

Kurt was rambling, but before he could continue his speech, Blaine finished his sentence for him.

"…it's perfect, Kurt." He whispered softly. "Thank you."

Kurt breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he looked at Blaine with a smile.

"You're so welcome." He grinned. "I figured it would be something for you to have while I'm at school, but of course you can still call me or text me anytime too, okay?"

Blaine nodded.

He didn't really want to think about the fact that Kurt would inevitably have to return to school the following day.

_Today was bad enough without him, how will I ever survive all day tomorrow?_

Kurt could sense Blaine's hesitation.

"Also… thank you for telling me about… that _stuff_." His voice was gentle and soft. "I know that was really, really hard for you to tell me, but you did so good, Blaine. You were very brave."

Blaine drew in an uncomfortable breath, his eyes remained downcast, carefully avoiding Kurt's gaze. His fingers fumbled mindlessly with the CD in his hands.

"I mean it, Blaine." Kurt reassured. He lifted his hand up to Blaine's forearm and rubbed gentle circles into his skin with the pad of his thumb. "I'm so proud of how far you've come lately."

That did it.

A single word was enough to get Blaine's undivided attention and caused him to lift his head and look at Kurt with wide eyes.

_Pride_.

_Kurt is proud of me._

A flutter of emotion wobbled through Blaine's chest as his honey-hazel eyes remained fixed on Kurt's hauntingly beautiful glasz ones.

He sucked in another staggered breath and nodded.

Kurt leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Blaine's messy curls before pulling back and flashing him another proud smile.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. "Dad texted me a bit ago and said to come out for dinner when we were ready. He ordered take out."

At the mere mention of food, Blaine's stomach took the opportunity to let out a low rumbling growl. The boy's face flushed pink in embarrassment, and Kurt couldn't help but giggle.

"That happens every time, doesn't it?" He chuckled, trying to ease Blaine's humiliation.

Blaine shrugged, but he too couldn't hide the tiny smile that formed on his face.

"Come on then…" Kurt said playfully, pulling the blanket off of them both. "Let's go feed the hungry lion."

Kurt quickly hopped off the bed and padded around to help Blaine crawl off his side. The teen was still tightly supporting his left arm across his chest and Kurt didn't miss Blaine's tiny pain-filled gasp as he pulled himself to his feet clumsily.

He'd already taken a few steps towards the bedroom door before Kurt realized that the shorter teen was no longer walking beside him. He turned around to check on Blaine, but held his tongue when he realized that the teen was clutching his new CD to his chest protectively and seemed to be scanning around the room.

Kurt's heart tingled slightly as it dawned on him what the boy was doing.

_He's looking for a special place to keep it._

Kurt casually turned his head away, as though giving Blaine a moment of privacy, but he could see out of the corner of his eye, that Blaine stepped back towards the bed and tucked the CD underneath his pillow next to his journal. He then reached up onto the bedside table to where his phone remained and slipped it under the pillow as well.

Kurt's heart sunk.

Blaine wasn't looking for a special place to keep his possessions; he was looking for a _safe_ place to keep them.

_He feels like he has to hide the few personal belongings that he has left._

Kurt's mind instantly flickered back to the collection of seemingly insignificant items that he'd found stashed away in Blaine's motel room.

Newspaper clippings, the coffee cup from the Lima Bean, an ancient looking guitar, the grass bracelet Kurt had mindlessly constructed that afternoon under the oak tree…

_Blaine had kept all of those things… because it was all he had._

_He'd treasured that paper coffee cup like it was a chest full of gold coins because everything else in his life had been ripped away from him._

Guilt flooded Kurt's veins and he was hit by a wave of nausea that made his stomach churn and his chest ache.

_I was busy worrying about expensive face creams and designer labels while Blaine's most prized possessions were a dirty coffee cup and a bracelet made out of dead grass._

He shook himself when he felt Blaine approach his side, trying to push away the emotion that was no doubt, written all over his face.

_Fake a smile._

_Play dumb._

_Blaine would be heartbroken if he knew that I pitied him._

The taller teen drew in a deep breath before turning towards his friend.

"Shall we go?" He forced a crooked grin to his face, reached his hand out for Blaine to latch onto and the pair stepped out of the safety of Blaine's bedroom and down the hallway towards the kitchen.

* * *

Blaine recognized the heavenly smell before they'd even reached the kitchen. His mouth watered and he could feel his stomach rumbling in anticipation.

_Pizza._

_Mr. Hummel had ordered pizza._

Blaine hadn't eaten pizza in months. His heart actually sped up as the mouthwatering scent filled his body.

_Pizza._

_I'm going to eat pizza._

_Not even just the stale old crusts._

_Real pizza._

_With cheese… and…_

Blaine stopped himself mid-thought.

Literally.

Kurt's hand had been entwined within his own, but when Blaine suddenly halted in his tracks, their fingers nearly slipped apart as Kurt continued to step forward.

_Nearly_, but not completely.

Kurt halted and turned back around, re-gripping Blaine's fingers in his own without once losing contact.

He looked at Blaine with concern and his blood ran cold when he saw the empty, yet terrified look in the boy's eyes as he stared off into the distance.

Kurt followed Blaine's vacant gaze across the kitchen until it came to rest on the kitchen table.

_The kitchen table?_

Then it dawned on him.

Blaine was staring at the pizza box on the table.

"Blaine?" Kurt whispered softly, unsure if the rigid boy would even hear him. "Are you alright? What's going on sweetie?"

Blaine never flinched. His eyes remained fixed on the white and green box.

Kurt was confused.

_Doesn't he like pizza?_

_Why does he look scared?_

Kurt was _really_ confused.

"Blaine?" He repeated, giving the boy's fingers a gentle squeeze.

Nothing.

_He's gone._

_How does he even do that?_

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted when a loud deep voice sounded from beside them, making him flinch noticeably.

"Hey boys! You ready to eat?"

If Burt's sudden presence startled Kurt, it absolutely frightened Blaine.

The teen instantly snapped out of his trance and darted sideways, ripping his fingers out of Kurt's hand and recoiling away from the booming voice. In his haste to flee, Blaine bumped into the small decorative table by the doorway and sent the glass vase containing his bouquet from Abby tumbling to the floor.

It shattered.

The flowers were strewn all over the floor and a puddle of water pooled around Blaine's barefeet.

Blaine's initial instinct was to step out of the chilly pool of water but before he could move three voices quickly shouted simultaneously.

"Stop!"

"Don't move!"

"No, Blaine!"

The trio of shouts deafened Blaine and he instantly sunk to the floor with a dull thud and pressed his hands tightly over his ears.

He didn't feel the shards of glass enter his knees and shins as he curled himself into the tightest ball he could manage.

He didn't hear the shocked gasps that echoed across the room.

He didn't smell the pizza anymore.

Several seconds of unnerving silence passed.

No one knew what to say or do.

It had been an accident.

No one had _wanted_ to frighten Blaine. They hadn't _meant_ to shout at him.

They were simply trying to protect him from the broken glass.

Kurt finally took a step towards the cowering teen and cleared his throat.

"B-Blaine?" His voice sounded as horrible as he felt. "I'm… I-… It's okay."

He took another step forward and placed his hand on Blaine's shoulder.

The ferocity with which Blaine was trembling sent daggers into his heart. The boy's entire body was vibrating violently.

Kurt could even hear Blaine's teeth chattering.

"Blaine… it's okay. You're okay. It was just an accident."

Nothing.

Kurt looked up at Burt and Carole with terrified eyes.

_What do I do?_

Burt took a step back, looking… devastated, but his eyes never left the terrified boy for even a fraction of a second.

Carole gulped, and pressed a reassuring hand to Burt's shoulder before taking several steps forward.

_How can this be happening again?_

"Blaine?" She spoke softly as she approached. "It's Carole, honey. Can you hear me?"

The boy sunk lower into his crouched position, pressing his knees lower and harder into the floor.

Carole grimaced as she saw the faintest trail of crimson pooling out from under Blaine's knees.

"Blaine honey…. I'm going to put my hand on your shoulder, okay?"

Nothing.

Carole slowly reached down and tentatively placed her hand on the back of Blaine's injured limb.

He didn't flinch, but his body began to sway back and forth manically.

"Sweetheart?" She whispered. "Are you there? Can you hear me? It's Carole…"

Nothing.

"Blaine?" She tried again. "Can you hear my voice?"

This time, the rocking slowed and Carole could see Blaine's hands relax just slightly from where they were pressed firmly against his ears.

"Blaine, sweetie? If you can hear my voice, can you nod your head a little bit?"

It was subtle, but the long curls on the top of Blaine's head quivered slightly as he nodded his head.

Carole started breathing again.

"Good… That's really good, Blaine." She praised. "Can you pull your arms down for me…?"

When Blaine didn't move from his position, Carole's heart sunk in her chest. But then finally, after what felt like a decade, Blaine's hands came away from the sides of his face simultaneously and he lowered his arms to his sides.

His head remained down, and his eyes disheartened. His body continued to tremble, but the rhythmic rocking motions had all but vanished.

It dawned on Carole then, and heat rushed to her face as she angrily realized what Blaine was doing.

He was on his knees.

His head was down.

He was limp.

Lifeless.

He was waiting for his punishment.

"Blaine!" She said urgently, and probably louder than necessary. "I'm going to help you stand now, okay? You're going to hurt your knees down there on the floor."

Her words were rushed, almost frantic, but she knew their importance.

She didn't even ask, like she knew that she should, but rather leaned in and pressed her arms around Blaine's torso and tried to lift him to his feet.

He startled slightly, and whipped his head up, meeting her gaze with wide, sad eyes.

"Come on." She ssaid softly. "Let's get you into a chair."

Kurt watched with wide, utterly confused eyes.

_What is she doing?_

_She's going to scare him even more!_

_Why is she…?_

Kurt gasped when he saw Blaine suddenly nod in agreement of Carole's suggestion.

The boy didn't look… confident… but he was _back_.

_He's back._

_Carole got him back._

Kurt quickly tiptoed over and grabbed a chair from next to the table and brought it closer to where Carole was still helping Blaine to his unsteady feet.

He moved the chair silently until it was only inches behind Blaine's knees and Carole helped him to sit down.

Once seated, Blaine's shoulders slumped, his head fell forward again, and he tucked his chin into his chest sadly.

"Blaine… I need you to listen to me, okay?" Carole spoke gently but firmly.

No response.

She took in a deep breath, trying to compose herself as much as possible before carefully using a single finger to lift the teen's chin. Blaine's head came up but his eyes still refused to look at the woman standing in front of him.

"Blaine…" She started again, "I need you to hear what I'm about to say… and to do that… I need to see your eyes."

The skin on Blaine's forehead creased then, his mind obviously conflicted, before he slowly allowed his sad, hazel eyes to drift until they met the concerned green ones in front of him.

"There you are." Carole whispered softly. "Good boy."

Blaine tensed and squeezed his eyes closed for a fraction of a second before forcing himself to swallow the lump of anxiety that had suddenly appeared in his throat.

It took every ounce of his remaining strength not to crumble, fall apart at the seams.

But he kept his eyes looking forward.

"Blaine, you didn't do anything wrong." Carole spoke softly, knowing the dire importance of her words. "We're not mad, or upset, or angry. We just didn't want you to hurt yourself in the broken glass."

Blaine's lower lip trembled, but he managed to keep himself looking forward.

_He had to._

_He didn't want to let anyone down._

_Again._

"Blaine, do you understand what I'm saying?" Carole asked, seeing the boy's struggle to remain composed. "It's not your fault, honey. You understand that, right?"

He pulled his trembling lip in between his teeth and bit down on it.

Harder than he probably should have.

But he didn't flinch at the pain and he didn't taste the coppery-flavored stickiness that attacked his tastebuds.

He nodded.

Because that is what Carole wanted him to do.

"That's good, honey." She reassured, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head. "You did so good."

Carole broke her stare with Blaine for the first time and looked up to where Burt stood transfixed next to the kitchen table.

"Will you please get the first aid kit?" She asked.

Burt nodded and turned towards the hall closet without a word.

Carole turned her head the other direction towards Kurt, who'd turned as white as a ghost and was trembling slightly while standing several feet away from Blaine.

He wasn't touching him.

He wasn't even looking at him.

Carole's eyes contorted into a disconcerting frown as he took in the older teenager's broken appearance.

This one had taken a number on him.

"Kurt?" She asked softly.

His stare remained fixed on the same indistinct portion of the kitchen floor.

"Kurt?"

This time, his head quickly shot up and he looked at her with wide eyes, but he said nothing.

"Honey… do you mind getting a warm face cloth from the bathroom for Blaine?"

It seemed to take a few extra seconds for the words to sink into Kurt's mind, but eventually he nodded vacantly and turned to walk down the hallway without a word.

Carole sucked in a mouthful of air and allowed her eyes to drift closed for several seconds before she turned back towards Blaine.

His head was down again.

"Blaine, sweetie…?" She asked, once again lifting his chin with her finger.

Once their eyes had reconnected once again, she continued.

"How are you feeling? Would you like to talk? Its just you and me here now."

Blaine shook his head.

"Okay. That's… alright."

Carole lifted her hand to pull a few stray locks of dark curls away from Blaine's face, but the moment her fingers connected, he pulled away sharply, turning his head in the opposite direction, breaking the contact instantly.

Carole's heart fractured at the movement, shattered into thousands of tiny fragments.

Just like the vase.

"Honey…" her voice sounded as broken as she felt. "Honey… you're okay here. No one is going to hurt you…"

Blaine said nothing. He managed to keep his eyes on Carole, though it took an excessive amount of control.

_Control_.

Blaine almost scoffed at the thought.

_There's no control…_

Carole could feel the anger.

In the span of less than a second, the teenager in front of her had transformed from ashamed and terrified to angry and spiteful.

She pressed her hand onto his knee and looked him deep in the eye.

"Blaine. It's okay to be scared, or angry, or upset." She spoke softly, but her words were filled with emotion. "You can let it out. You don't have to keep it all inside."

Blaine blinked.

Thousands of thoughts and memories flooded his mind.

He wanted to scream.

Cry.

Shout.

Attack.

He wanted someone to yell at him, tell him to snap out of it.

He wanted someone to cry with him.

He wanted…

He just… wanted someone to _hold_ him.

By this time, tears were streaming down his face and he couldn't stop them.

The flood of emotions that he'd kept buried deep inside of him bubbled to the surface and he couldn't suppress the wretched sob that emanated from the darkest depths of his soul.

He forced his eyes back up until he saw her.

Really saw her.

Carole.

"I…" He swallowed heavily "I'm sorry."

Carole heart healed slightly at Blaine's courageous attempt to speak, but then ached when she recognized his darkness of his words.

"I d-didn't mean to make you sad."

Blaine gulped again, fighting his every instinct to allow his head to drop. He kept his eyes looking forward, waiting for the woman in front of him to muster the strength to reply.

"Honey…"

She couldn't even think of what to possibly say.

There weren't nearly enough words in the English language that could possibly express to him how she felt.

So she didn't speak.

Instead, she pulled him into a tight embrace.

The exact embrace that Blaine had been craving.

He melted into her arms instantly as the tears continued to fall freely down his cheeks.

Blaine's shoulders shook as the waves of emotion rolled off his body.

_He was safe._

_And warm._

_And cared for._

"It's okay, honey." Carole reassured softly into his curls. "You're going to be okay now."

Blaine continued to tremble under Carole's loving hands for several minutes until he felt like he'd regained enough composure to form a coherent sentence.

"I'm s-sorry about th-this afternoon… I'm s-so sorry."

Carole pulled the boy into her chest even tighter, throwing all caution to the wind.

This boy needed to be held.

Consoled.

Loved.

"It was my fault, Blaine." She whispered. "I shouldn't have pushed you like I did. I should have…"

But she didn't get a chance to finish, before Burt reappeared, holding the white first aid kit tightly to his chest.

Carole glanced at the man she loved over Blaine's shoulder while maintaining the all-important embrace. She shot him a look of relief, followed by a quick hand gesture, instructing the elder Hummel to walk around them and approach from the front.

_Their private conversation would have to wait._

Burt did as he was instructed, taking a wide birth around the kitchen so he would be in Blaine's line of vision as he crept closer.

"I-I have the first aid stuff." His voice was gruff, choked with emotion.

He remained several steps away and waited until Carole had gently released Blaine and had given him an approving nod before he approached with extreme care and caution.

He really didn't want to set Blaine off again.

"Hi Blaine." Burt's voice is softer now, more controlled.

Blaine draws his eyes up at the man standing in front of him and gulps.

_Has he always been this tall?_

Burt immediately senses the boy's discomfort and lowers himself to his haunches, ignoring the protests of his aching knees.

_Eye level. _

_We need to be at eye level._

"How are you doing, buddy?" Burt says, even softer now because of the lessened distance between them.

Blaine, feeling slightly less exposed, sucked in a breath to try and relax himself before he shrugged.

"I-I'm okay, sir."

Burt almost toppled over.

He wasn't sure what was more alarming, the fact that Blaine had spoken directly _to_ him, or the part where he'd called him '_sir_.'

Burt looked at Carole, whose eyes were nearly as wide as his own.

She'd obviously not expected it either.

"You can call me _Burt_, kid." The man said, and then added with a small grin. "_Sir_ makes me sound old."

Blaine shrugged apathetically.

"Listen buddy… I'm sorry that I scared you… before." Burt brought a hand up and rubbed it against his bald head nervously. "I really didn't mean to startle you like that."

Blaine looked deep into the man's eyes.

They weren't the same color of intense blue that Kurt's eyes were, but it was plain to see where the beautiful flecks of green and gold originated.

Blaine looked beyond the color of the eyes staring back at him.

Deeper.

Longer.

He didn't see anger, or distrust, or… darkness.

He saw love, and genuine concern.

He saw Burt Hummel for the first time in his life.

"I-I know."

* * *

Kurt was standing at the bathroom sink, staring blindly into the mirror and allowing the hot water flood over the same blue face cloth he'd held in his fingers for the past few minutes trying to regain his composure.

Blaine had disappeared again.

It terrified him to remember how quickly and easily the boy could just… _slip away_.

_And why?_

_What had happened to make Blaine lose himself in his head like that again?_

_They'd only just walked into the empty kitchen._

_Nobody had been in there with them…_

_He'd been looking at the table._

_There was nothing on the table except…_

_Oh_.

Realization hit Kurt with the force of a freight train.

_It was the pizza. _

_He'd been staring at the box of pizza._

At first Kurt thought it was literally the pizza that had set him off, but then… he realized… it wasn't the pizza… it was the pizza _box_.

Or rather… the _name_ on the pizza box.

A chill ran up Kurt's spine as he considered what that pizza box might have meant to Blaine.

_Had that kind of pizza been delivered to the motel or something?_

_Did they give some of it to Blaine?_

_Or… maybe they mocked him with it?_

_Maybe he didn't even get anything to eat at all…_

Kurt snapped himself out of his demented reverie.

_This isn't helping._

He filled his cupped hands with the hot water that flowed from the faucet and threw it up against the porcelain skin of his face.

It was hot – almost too hot, and he could feel the heat prickling against his delicate flesh.

But for some reason the sensation (_The_ _pain_…?) made him feel… _better_.

He shook himself, sending tiny droplets of water tumbling off his face and out of his hair, and then he wrung out the facecloth and walked out of the bathroom to find Blaine.

When Kurt arrived back at the kitchen, warm cloth in hand, he was surprised to find Carole kneeling immediately next to Blaine with her right arm encircled around his torso.

Burt was crouching only a foot or two away from the pair, and Kurt was pleasantly surprised that his father's eyes looked… soft, and happy.

Kurt stepped quietly until he was standing next to Burt and kneeled down, carefully, as to avoid any shards of glass that may have travelled that far.

He handed the warm cloth to Carole, still not quite certain if he'd be able to form appropriate words.

He wanted more than anything to take the cloth himself, but he wasn't sure that he'd be able to control his fingers well enough to do any good.

Carole took the cloth from Kurt's trembling fingers and gave him an approving nod.

Kurt looked better.

Not perfect.

Not completely composed… but… _better_.

She could tell by the dampness of Kurt's hair that he'd splashed his face with water.

He was trying so hard to be brave.

Carole sighed and enveloped the cloth around her finger before reaching up and gently wiping away the crusted tear tracks from Blaine's cheeks.

The boy remained still under her touch, which relieved her to the core.

Once all of Blaine's tears had been wiped away and the boy was looking brighter, and fresher, she looked back up into his honey-hazel eyes and spoke softly.

"Blaine, is it okay if I lift up the legs of your pants so I can see if there's any damage from the glass?"

The teenager seemed to hesitate for several seconds before he pulled in a deep breath and nodded slowly.

Carole returned his nod with an approving smile, and reached down, slowly rolling up the bottoms of the soft cotton sweatpants that covered Blaine's legs.

She was pleased to discover that there wasn't significant damage from the glass; a few minor cuts and scrapes, but it didn't look as though any of the shards had embedded themselves under his skin.

"This might sting a little bit, okay honey?" She warned him quietly.

Only after Blaine nodded did she proceed to wipe away the thin trails of blood from below his knees, with a touch softer than a whisper.

Blaine remained stoic throughout the procedure, not flinching once, even when Carole came upon a small shard of glass that she'd initially overlooked.

Once she'd finished tending to both his legs, she applied some antiseptic ointment from the First Aid kit and covered the worst of the cuts with clean white gauze.

It was about fifteen minutes before Blaine was completely patched up and Burt had returned the First Aid kit to the closet.

When he returned to the kitchen, Carole had just finished re-assessing Blaine's injured shoulder.

"It seems to be okay." She said thoughtfully. "It might just be extra sore for a little while again."

Blaine nodded, glad that he hadn't done any significant damage to himself during either of his stupid outbursts.

"Shall we put your sling back on?" Carole suggested.

Blaine nodded again, and with a little help from Carole, he stood up from his chair. His legs wobbled slightly underneath him and he was surprised slightly when Kurt reached out to steady him.

He turned to look at the taller teen with wide eyes as Carole stepped away to fetch Blaine's sling.

Kurt gulped, not breaking the eye contact he'd finally managed to make with Blaine.

"I-I told you I'd never let you fall."

* * *

Once Carole returned with Blaine's sling and helped him back into it, Blaine was feeling a thousand times better.

He was safe.

He wasn't scared anymore.

Carole and Mr. Hummel weren't mad at him.

His shoulder felt much, _much_ better.

And Kurt… Kurt was back with him.

_His_ Kurt.

Yes, with all things considered… Blaine Anderson was feeling pretty okay.

Burt re-entered the kitchen (slowly and cautiously) and made sure he was in the curly-haired teen's line of vision before speaking.

"Are you hungry?"

Blaine's eyes widened suddenly as he remembered, and he quickly turned his head towards the table… to look at the…

_White porcelain platter stacked high with slices of pizza?_

His eyebrows knit together in confusion.

_Wait…_

_Wasn't there a…?_

_Where did…?_

At exactly that moment, Kurt appeared from the other side of the kitchen with a satisfied smirk on his face.

He noticed the look of bewilderment on Blaine's face and took the opportunity to break the silence.

"I put all the pizza onto the big platter, I thought it looked much nicer that way. What do you think, Blaine?"

Blaine's surprised eyes moved up to meet Kurt's, as if to ask '_how did you… know?_'

Kurt was grinning.

_He knew._

_And he… fixed it._

Blaine could feel a flutter of hope fill his chest. The corners of his mouth turned up in the tiniest of smiles and he nodded.

"Uh… I-It looks… _perfect_, Kurt."

Carole and Burt, both oblivious to the exchange, breathed simultaneous sighs of relief as they watched the two boys move towards the table and sat down right next to one another.

Blaine looked across the table to the empty seat.

Finn's seat.

Carole immediately picked up on Blaine's unspoken question.

"Finn is… staying at Pucks again tonight." She said calmly, reaching for a slice of pizza.

Blaine's heart sunk.

_He's still avoiding me._

_He hates me so much that he's not even comfortable in his own home._

Kurt could hear Blaine's thoughts without them even being spoken aloud, and stepped in immediately.

"That's why there's only one… _plate_… of pizza. If Finn were here, we'd have had to of ordered at least three times as much! You should see how much that mammoth can pack away!"

Blaine forced a smile to his face; he appreciated Kurt's attempted effort to break the awkwardness of the situation, but that didn't ease the nagging feeling of guilt that remained in the pit of his stomach.

Several minutes later, Blaine found himself picking at his piece of pizza (barbeque chicken pizza to be exact). It was a difficult task with only one free hand. He struggled to maintain a firm grasp on his knife and fork, using the fingers that just barely stuck out from the sleeve of the sling to anchor the food to his plate while cutting bite-sized pieces off with his knife.

Carole watched as the boy struggled wordlessly. She had to bite her tongue several times to stop herself from asking if Blaine wanted her help to cut his pizza, but she knew that a medial task, such as this, no matter how long it took him to complete, was important for his healing progress.

He needed to do it on his own.

Suddenly and almost expectantly, the fork slipped from Blaine's fingers and crashed onto his plate with an earsplitting clatter.

Blaine immediately sat up straighter in his chair while desperately trying to pick up his fork with trembling fingers.

"I-I'm sorry." He sputtered nervously, still fumbling to fit the utensil back between his uncoordinated fingers.

"Blaine, buddy…" Burt said from across the table. "It's okay if you want to just use your fingers."

Blaine looked up at the man sitting across from him in disbelief.

His look on his face made it appear as though he thought Burt's suggestion was simply unheard of.

The teen looked around and immediately noticed that all three individuals that stared back at him were holding knives and forks in their hands, eating their pizza without a shred of difficulty.

_Eating with his fingers like an animal was not an option._

"I-I'm fine, sir." He stuttered. "I-I can manage."

Carole watched sadly as the boy continued to struggle with the control of his utensils.

Blaine would successfully cut off a tiny sliver of pizza using his knife in his right hand while barely securing it with the fork in his left, then set down the knife, switch his fork back into his right hand and slip the tiny morsel of food into his mouth.

It was a painful process.

Carole sighed.

_He's so polite._

_Such perfect manners._

_He's so… careful and gentle with everything he touches._

She thought back to earlier in the afternoon when Blaine was helping to decorate the Christmas tree.

It seemed like ages ago now.

The teen had been so careful with each of the delicate ornaments he'd handled.

Almost excessively careful.

_It wouldn't be the least bit surprising if Blaine was suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. _

Carole's heart clenched as she considered her hypothesis further.

_After everything that he's been through, there's no doubt that he'd have the intrusive desire to control the few things he feels he can._

She remembered Kurt telling her about the items he'd found of Blaine's in the motel room.

Trinkets that any other person would not have thought twice about before throwing away.

_He's trying to hang on to everything good in his life because he's scared it will all be taken away._

She wished with all her might that she could think of a way to convince Blaine to talk to someone.

A professional.

Before his actions became so excessive that they began to dominate his life.

She'd seen it before.

_Patients admitted to hospital for psychiatric reasons._

_The inability to cope without washing their hands after touching anything foreign. _

_Counting. They always seemed to be counting things._

_The overwhelming desire to check and re-check tasks they've completed for errors or omissions._

_Living in a state of constant fear and doubt._

Carole allowed her eyes to close for a moment to clear away the negative thoughts that flooded her mind.

_I'm not going to let that happen. _

_He's safe now._

_I'm going to keep it that way._

"You know what?" She spoke up suddenly, surprising even herself. "I'm going to use my fingers tonight."

She dropped her fork onto the placemat in front of her, picked up her slice of pizza and took a large, satisfying bite.

Kurt, from across the table, grinned. He picked up on her prompt at once and he too set down his fork.

Blaine turned to look at Kurt with wide eyes filled with disbelief.

The normally elegant-to-a-fault teen picked up his slice of pizza between his usually pristine fingers and took a Finn-sized bite out of the middle of it.

Blaine gasped.

_What the…?_

_Kurt never eats with his fingers._

_He constantly talks about how the oils from the foods would ruin…_

"Aw hell!"

Blaine's thoughts were interrupted as Burt Hummel threw his fork down on the table next to his plate with a sly grin.

"If you two are gonna… then I sure the heck am too!"

Blaine couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the elder Hummel pick up a gigantic slice of pizza in his grease-stained fingers and shovel a good portion of it into his mouth in one bite.

_Have they all completely lost their minds?_

Chomping.

Blaine looked around the table and all he could hear was the sound of teeth ripping apart too-large bites of pizza.

"What are you waiting for?" Burt asked with a sparkle in his eye, after he'd swallowed his mouthful of pizza. He then took another insanely large bite; his mouth was so full of food that his next words were muffled to Blaine's ears.

"Dis is howmpf peeepha is memph to be eatum."

Blaine couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation.

_They've cracked._

_They've all completely cracked._

_I thought I was suppose to be the messed up one…_

As the hilarity of the situation reached its climax, Carole couldn't hold back her grin.

Blaine's face was priceless.

He looked genuinely concerned for the people sitting around the table.

But the breaking point was when Kurt burped.

It wasn't outrageously loud, or obnoxious (like something Finn might do) but it was so… _un-Kurt-like_ that she couldn't contain it any longer…

She snorted.

An honest-to-goodness snort that even Kurt was proud of.

Carole's hand immediately flew up to her mouth. She was mortified.

Kurt thought it was hilarious.

So he giggled.

The burp and the snort, combined with Kurt's inappropriate giggle sent Burt into a fit of laughter.

Hearty, gleeful laughter, right from the gut.

Blaine felt like he'd stepped inside an episode of the Twilight Zone.

_They're all laughing. _

_Why are they all laughing?_

He knew they weren't laughing at him.

He wasn't sure how he knew it, but he did.

But he couldn't understand what the sudden laughter was all about.

Maybe it was because the sound was so foreign to his ears, or maybe because the source of their elation wasn't really even that funny.

Either way, he didn't care.

All Blaine knew was that it sounded nice.

_Really nice._

Perfect, even.

He felt his cheeks flush with warmth as a smile crept up the corners of his lips.

He ran his tongue over his top teeth and considered his options.

Finally, he sat his utensils down carefully on his placemat, took a deep breath and picked up his pizza in between the fingers of his right hand.

And took a bite.

* * *

They finished the rest of their meal without further complications (aside from a few giggle attacks from both Kurt and Carole).

Blaine had ended up eating almost two full pieces of pizza, which was significantly more than he'd eaten in some time.

They didn't even make him eat the crusts.

He'd felt bad at first, feeling as though he was wasting such a precious commodity.

_Sometimes the stale crusts of pizza were all he'd get to eat when he… _

_No… _

_No… _

Blaine refused to allow his brain to wander back to the dark places.

He couldn't believe it when they didn't make him eat the crusts. Even Kurt left his on the edge of his plate.

Blaine wasn't sure if that was normal practice for Kurt, or if it was just another selfless act, but either way… it made Blaine feel less anxious about leaving the food on his plate.

"God, I'm full!" Burt announced, holding his hands to his rounded belly. "That was actually pretty good."

Kurt smirked.

"See dad? Even healthy pizza is good pizza."

Blaine's lips tugged upwards at Kurt's knowing tone.

_Of course the chicken pizza had been Kurt's choice._

"Anyone for ice cream?"

Burt's question startled Blaine.

_Didn't he just say…?_

"And bananas?"

_How could he possibly still be hungry?_

"And peanuts?"

Blaine's eyes widened at the thought.

_Peanuts?_

"Topped with chocolate sauce?"

_Sold._

Carole was already up at the counter preparing the desserts when Kurt leaned over to Blaine and whispered.

"I try and tell him to eat healthy, so he eats chicken pizza… then tops it off with an ice cream sundae."

Blaine couldn't hide his amusement. He ducked his head down to hide his smile.

Then he thought about how relaxed and… nice… he'd felt during dinner.

The casual conversation.

The giggle attacks.

He sighed.

_Screw it. _

_I don't wanna hide anymore._

He brought his head back up and looked at Kurt with a grin.

Not even a forced grin... an original.

"But the bananas are fruit so it cancels out the bad stuff."

Kurt looked a bit shocked at Blaine's words. He'd not expected the boy to speak, let alone crack a joke.

Burt heard the exchange and let out another hearty laugh.

"I like this kid!" He exclaimed cheerfully. "Kurt, you could learn a thing or two from him."

Blaine grinned at that and looked back at Kurt, who, even as hard as he tried, couldn't stop the smile that graced his fine features.

Carole brought over a large bowl heaped with a delicious looking sundae and set it in front of Burt.

"Blaine? Kurt? Would you boys like one?"

Kurt shook his head, counting the calories in his father's dish from where he sat. "No thanks, I'd prefer not to have a heart attack before I turn eighteen."

Blaine's stare was fixed on the bowl in front of Burt.

It looked… _amazing_.

Rivers of chocolate sauce were dripping down the sides of a huge mountain of ice cream and bananas and he could see a scattering of peanuts lying underneath the gooey goodness.

But he shook his head.

He'd already eaten so much.

More than he should have.

More than was polite.

"Are you sure honey?" Carole asked. "There's plenty."

Blaine managed to pry his eyes away from the scrumptious looking bowl of pure deliciousness for long enough to look at Carole and shake his head again.

"I-I'm okay, thank you Carole."

She paused, giving him a second to change his mind before turning back to the counter and preparing her own (much smaller) portion of ice cream.

She returned to the table a few minutes later and saw that Blaine was still staring at the sundae in front of Burt.

It was obvious that he wanted one.

She took a small bite of her own dessert and moaned louder than was appropriate.

"Great idea you had, honey." She said, winking at Burt. "This is delicious."

Blaine literally had to bite his lip to prevent a whimper from leaving his mouth.

_Maybe they'd just let me have a bite…_

_No. _

_No, I can't ask for anything more._

"The peanuts are what sets it apart." Burt said, taking another scoop and hungrily jamming it into his open mouth.

"I disagree." Carole had heaped a portion of her dessert onto her spoon and was examining it very, very closely. "It's the chocolate. Definitely the chocolate."

Kurt looked at the two adults sitting across from him like they'd lost their marbles.

_What the hell is wrong with them?_

_Oh god._

_This isn't some kind of sex thing is it?_

_Ew._

He turned his head towards Blaine to ask him if he had any idea what they were going on about, but the moment he laid his eyes on the boy sitting next to him, everything sunk into place.

Blaine was staring at the sundaes.

His desire was so strong, that Kurt could almost hear the teen salivating.

But his wide, honey-hazel eyes looked conflicted.

He wanted one, yes… Blaine definitely wanted a sundae, but he was obviously too afraid, or maybe… _too_ _shy_…to ask for one.

Even when it was blatantly offered to him.

Kurt thought for a moment, trying to come up with a way to make this work.

"Blaine?" He asked. Then, when the teen's head turned towards him, he continued in the most innocent voice he could produce. "Is there anything you need?"

Blaine gulped.

_Yes._

_Yes yes yes yes yes._

He shook his head.

Kurt's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure? Maybe you'd like something more to eat?"

Blaine sighed.

_I want ice cream! _

Even in his head he realized that he sounded like a spoiled toddler.

He certainly didn't want the Hudmels to think he was a spoiled toddler.

So he shook his head again.

"N-no, thank you, Kurt."

Kurt frowned, distraught that his plan hadn't worked. He looked up at Carole who gave him the subtlest of nods.

He had to try again.

"Blaine?" The innocent voice was back.

Blaine turned in his seat again to meet Kurt's gaze.

"Would you like a sundae?"

Blaine gulped.

The option was there.

All he had to do was say yes.

Just… _yes_.

Three letters. That's it.

_Yes. _

_Yes. _

_Yes._

"Yes."

There were three relieved and ecstatic intakes of breath heard at the table, but they fell on Blaine's deaf ears.

He'd done it.

He'd asked for dessert.

He… got what he wanted.

Kurt stood up next to him and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of his head, just above his ear.

"I thought so." He whispered. "I'll make you one, okay?"

Blaine nodded numbly, still obviously shocked with himself.

Kurt pranced (_literally pranced_) over to the counter, exceedingly happy with himself.

There was a very un-masculine squeak that left his lips when he saw what was waiting for him when he got there.

Carole had already known.

There on the counter, was a teeny Blaine-sized serving of ice cream, covered in a few slices of banana, a handful of peanuts and a generous serving of chocolate sauce.

* * *

Blaine's belly was full.

For the first time in a long, _long_ time… he'd eaten too much.

_And it was awesome._

He couldn't keep the smile off this face as he placed the last glass on the counter next to the sink.

He realized that he was grinning like a loon, but he didn't care.

He felt great.

Carole had even allowed him to help clean up after they'd finished dinner.

Of course, he couldn't do much with only one arm, but he was busy clearing off the table, and that made him feel very, very happy.

"Blaine, honey…?" Carole asked from beside him. He spun around and was met by a large plastic bag with the remaining slices of pizza from dinner. "Would you mind putting this in the fridge for me?"

He nodded, taking the bag into his hands. "Of course."

For the first time, it didn't feel weird or uncomfortable answering her without a second thought.

It felt… _right_.

Blaine stepped towards the large white refrigerator and, while balancing the bag of pizza on the top of his sling, he pulled open the heavy, vacuum-locked door.

And almost gasped.

The fridge was… _full_.

Blaine had never seen so much food in his entire life.

There were two cartons of milk and a pitcher of water beside jugs of both orange juice _and_ apple juice on the top shelf along with dozens of condiments of every variety. The middle shelf was stacked high with an assortment of meats and cheese, multiple plastic bowls filled with what looked like leftovers, and… a huge chocolate cake with creamy looking icing spread over the top of it.

But that wasn't what caught Blaine's eye.

It wasn't the cartons of milk, or the meat, or even the cake that made his chest fill up with hope and excitement.

It was the endless mountain of fruits and vegetables of every color on the bottom shelf that made Blaine's eyes widen.

He almost dropped the pizza.

It was… _beautiful_.

There were apples and oranges and grapes and… a _watermelon_?

_Oh god, there were peaches!_

_Peaches!_

And the _vegetables_…

Carrots and celery and broccoli and onions (Blaine didn't even _like_ onions and he was excited to see them) and peppers of colors Blaine didn't even know peppers came in…

It was unbelievable.

Blaine's stomach was still full, _so full_, from dinner but he couldn't stop staring at the amazing assortment of fruits and vegetables on display in front of him.

It was like a supermarket on steroids.

And it was in their house.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice from beside him startled him, and he really did drop the bag of pizza on the floor. "Is… is everything okay?"

Blaine shook himself from his trance and bent down carefully to pick up the bag of pizza, which was no worse for wear.

He found a small space on the second shelf, next to a carton of eggs, that he slid the package into before retreating and closing the door.

"Are you still hungry?" Carole asked, having watched the progress of his discovery unfold from the other side of the kitchen.

Blaine shook his head with wide eyes.

"No ma'am, I'm very full." He answered politely. "I just… I've never…"

Carole smiled, knowing full well what he was trying to say.

"You're welcome to help yourself to anything you like from in there, Blaine." She said with a grin. "You live here too. That food is just as much yours as it is mine or Kurt's."

Blaine's jaw dropped.

He couldn't believe this was happening.

Yep, this was turning out to be a pretty darn good day.

* * *

Once the dishes were finished and the table was cleared off, Carole suggested the four of them move to the living room and enjoy a family movie before bed.

Blaine's heart jumped in his chest at Carole's chosen words.

_Family. _

_They really do think of me as part of their family._

As they walked into the living room, Blaine was shocked at the number of Christmas ornaments and decorations that adorned the walls.

He'd almost forgotten about them.

It felt like so much time had passed since he'd spent the morning with Carole decorating.

He reveled in the cozy atmosphere, taking in the sights as though it was his first time seeing all of his own handiwork.

He remembered with a soft gasp that it _was_ Kurt's first time seeing it all.

_He'd almost forgotten to show Kurt his new treasures!_

Blaine quickly strode over to the giant tree and pulled off his music note ornament and showed it to Kurt proudly.

Then he showed Kurt where his very own Christmas stocking hung next to Kurt's on the mantle.

Just like _he_ belonged with the Hudmels, so did his stocking.

Kurt's eyes widened excitedly as Blaine led him around the room hand-in-hand, showing him the Christmas tree Burt had delivered, the window decorations, the flowers, and finally, the tiny village scene on the top of the piano.

They'd stood in front of the shiny black piano for several minutes, both taking in the tiny details of each piece of the village before Blaine finally gathered his courage and asked the question he'd been dying to ask since the first time he'd been inside the home so many weeks prior.

"K-Kurt?"

"Mmmhmm?"

"Does the piano make you sad?"

_Damn it. _

_It had sounded so much better in his head._

"Sad?" Kurt asked, his curiosity peaked. "Why would it make me sad?"

Blaine thought for a minute, trying to come up with a way to express himself that didn't sound so juvenile.

"Well… I-It was your mom's… right?"

"Oh." Kurt said softly. "I see what you're getting at."

He turned towards Blaine and gently lifted the boy's chin so he was looking directly into the pair of hazel eyes only a few inches lower than his own.

"I miss her, but… it was a pretty long time ago so I don't really feel sad as much anymore." Kurt explained. "I miss hearing her play. She used to teach lessons to other kids, I remember that."

Blaine watched as Kurt's eyes became distant, as though he was remembering something from long ago.

He tensed for a moment, afraid that Kurt recalling past events might make him scared, before realizing that unlike himself, Kurt had _good_ memories in his head too.

He would be okay.

"She played almost every day." Kurt explained. His voice was soft, but not sad. "It used to fill the house with happiness. I miss that."

He returned his gaze to Blaine, who remained standing directly in front of him, but with his eyes focused somewhere down by his feet.

Secretly, Kurt had been waiting for this question. He'd seen Blaine staring at the piano several times in the past few days and it didn't take a genius to figure out what the troubled teen was really probing for.

He'd hoped that Blaine would be able to ask the question for himself, but when the words didn't seem to be coming, Kurt decided to help him over the hurdle.

"Blaine… would you like to play my mom's piano?"

They were like magic words.

Blaine's head shot up and his eyes were wide, open and excited instantly.

He wanted to scream out YES!

He had to refrain throwing himself into Kurt's arms and thank him for finally asking him the question he'd been longing to ask himself.

But instead, Blaine took in a deep breath and tried to compose his thoughts.

He'd said yes already once tonight.

It would be… _easy_ to do it again.

Blaine's mind filled with visions of ivory keys dancing underneath his fingertips.

He missed the piano.

He missed hearing the sounds and feeling the vibrations.

He missed the music.

The happiness.

The peace and the comfort of losing himself in the notes.

He really, _really_ wanted to say yes.

So he did.

Blaine glanced up at Kurt with twinkles in his hazel eyes, tiny glimmers of hope, for the first time in a long time. He looked like a small child who'd just discovered Christmas as he swallowed, before nodding slowly and allowing his lips to part.

"Y-yes Kurt… I'd really like that."

An unfamiliar emotion flooded into Blaine's chest, hitting him like a tidal wave.

It took him several seconds to realize what it was.

_Happiness._

_He was feeling… happiness._

He never imagined that he'd get to experience that feeling ever again.

After everything that he'd been through…

He just couldn't believe it was possible.

All Blaine knew was that he wanted to hang onto that feeling for as long as he possibly could.

If he was being honest, he was hoping that Kurt would pull up the heavy cover that protected the precious cargo underneath it.

He wanted to see them.

Feel them.

He wanted to make sure that the gorgeous ivory keys were real, and that this wasn't just another trick.

But the case remained closed.

A discovery for another day.

At first, Blaine's heart ached as they stepped away from the piano he'd so desperately craved to touch.

But then Kurt explained to him that he thought it would be best if Blaine waited until his shoulder was feeling better before he attempted to play.

It made sense.

But still… Blaine found himself feeling sad.

Not disappointed or angry, just… sad.

_What if Kurt never offered him the opportunity to play again?_

_What if… _

_What if he never found the courage to ask?_

But then, Kurt said something that engulfed Blaine with hope once again.

As they walked over to the couch and Blaine sat down, Kurt leaned in and told him that he could decide when he felt good enough to play the piano, and that he didn't even have to ask for permission.

"I can't wait to hear you play again."

Blaine's hazel eyes lit up brighter than the most brilliant of all the Christmas tree lights and his crooked smile returned to his face instantaneously.

Kurt grinned for a moment at Blaine's apparent elation before he squeezed the boy's fingers gently.

"I just have to go and speak with Carole for a few minutes, but I'll right back and we'll watch a movie, okay?"

Blaine nodded, the smile still giving his face a glow that Kurt hadn't seen in weeks.

"Maybe you and my dad can pick something out to watch? He'll probably wanna see some silly John Wayne flick or something so I'm trusting you to keep him in line, okay?"

Blaine nodded with a very audible giggle and Kurt's heart did a flip-flop.

_If that's all I have to do to hear that beautiful sound, I will gladly give up my future plans and be a stand-up comedian._

"Okay." Kurt said, pressing a gentle kiss to Blaine's forehead. "I'll be right back."

He turned and walked out of the living room and towards the kitchen just as Burt appeared in the doorway.

The elder Hummel took his place in his armchair and watched as Blaine sat waiting patiently for Kurt to return.

He couldn't help but notice that the teen was constantly stealing glances at the glorious instrument across the living room.

It was as though with each longing look, he was simply confirming that the piano was still there.

Burt sighed.

_The kid really wants to play the piano._

If he was being honest, the thought alone made his heart soar.

Not only would it be a huge step in Blaine's progress if he were to start playing again, but Burt couldn't help but have slightly… _selfish_ reasons to support the prospect as well.

He missed the sound of the piano echoing throughout the house.

It had been y_ears_ since anyone had even touched it.

Burt had secretly always wished that Kurt would decide to continue his lessons after his mother's passing, but for whatever reason, the boy had steered clear of the pristine black piano.

He'd catch his son glancing at it sadly every now and again, but not once did Kurt ever open up the cover and allow his fingers to grace the keys.

And Burt was never about to push him into it.

He'd considered getting rid of it once or twice throughout the years, but he could never bring himself to do it.

It was the last of Elizabeth's personal possessions that remained in the house.

She used to always say that it was the most important thing she ever owned.

That it was her heart.

And Burt certainly wasn't about to throw away Elizabeth's heart.

Burt shook himself out of his reverie and returned his eyes towards Blaine, who was still sitting quietly on the couch, his fingers nervously fumbling with the loose thread on his sling.

"You doing okay, buddy?" He asked softly.

Blaine's eyes snapped up and locked into Burt's, as though he'd temporarily forgotten that the man was sitting only meters away from him.

"Yes, sir." He answered robotically.

"Kurt just… had to talk to Carole for a minute." Burt reiterated. "He'll be back soon."

Blaine nodded. "Okay."

Burt wanted to say more, but he didn't want to push. Blaine speaking to him was a huge step. He didn't want to risk another set back.

"Mr. Hummel?"

Blaine's timid voice startled Burt; he'd not expected to hear the boy initiate a conversation.

"Uh… yeah?" He answered dumbly. "What's up, kiddo?"

Blaine sucked in a deep breath.

The worst part was over; he'd already spoken the first words, now all he had to do was continue to let them flow.

"T-thank you sir." Blaine's tongue stumbles only slightly. "F-for letting me stay here, I mean."

Burt was speechless.

He had no idea what to say.

_You're welcome?_

That didn't even begin to cover what he was feeling at that moment.

"Kid…" He started, after clearing the emotion from his throat. "You are part of our family now. You've helped Kurt through so much, whether you believe it or not… I know it's true. And for that… you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want."

Blaine's eyes widened following the man's speech, but he didn't get a chance to reply before Burt got up from his chair with a slight groan, walked over towards the couch and knelt down in front of the nervous teenager, so they were once again at eye level.

Burt slowly lifted his hand, indicating to Blaine exactly what he was about to do, and placed it gently, _impossibly_ _gently_, on the top of Blaine's left knee.

Blaine was surprised, but he didn't flinch.

"Kid..." Burt said, looking the boy directly in his eyes. "I know that you don't feel like it… and you probably won't even believe me, but I'm gonna say this anyways…"

Blaine didn't move.

He didn't even breathe.

"Blaine, you've got this… total friggin' _awesomeness_ inside of you. And when it finally hits you… you're going to need sunglasses to see it."

Blaine had no idea what to do.

Burt's words were ringing in his ears. He wasn't even sure if he understood them, exactly, but… he felt so… _warm_.

He deliberated for a few minutes about the peculiar feeling in his chest, but was so unfamiliar, it couldn't place it.

Then it hit him.

_Pride?_

_Was he actually feeling… proud… of himself right now?_

It was such a foreign feeling, but it flooded into his chest, and filled him up like a waterfall of emotions.

He wanted to speak, to say… _thank you_… or… _something_.

But the words were stuck.

His tongue was tied; the words trapped in his throat.

He wished he could just say… _something_.

_Anything_.

He wished that he could just reach out… and…

Blaine gulped.

_I can do this._

He breathed in a mouthful of courage and reached his hand out, cursing himself when he noticed how violently his fingers were trembling.

His hand moved across his lap… slowly, until his shaky fingers rest on top of Burt's much larger ones, still placed gently on his own knee.

Burt's eyes widened as Blaine's hand squeezed his fingers.

It's not much, the touch barely there, but at this point…

_Blaine's just run a marathon. _

"T-Thank you, sir."

Burt's heart was suddenly too big for his chest.

There were no words, or thoughts, or… _anything_… to help him now.

He turned his hand, just slightly, only enough to reciprocate the squeeze, and gave the boy a solemn nod.

He didn't trust his voice.

His throat felt tight; he was pretty sure there was a baseball stuck in there somewhere.

_Damn it. _

_Are these tears?_

Burt cleared his throat gently, but strong enough to get rid of the damn baseball, and climbed to his feet in front of the uneasy teenager.

Burt sniffed away the… the…

_Stupid allergies…_

_Damn itchy eyes._

_Is it hot in here?_

He cleared his throat again and then squeezed the boy's uninjured shoulder lightly before taking a step back from the boy on the couch.

"Burt." He affirmed, happy to hear that his voice has somewhat returned to normalcy.

Blaine looked up at the man curiously but didn't speak.

"You can just call me Burt."

Blaine nodded as he watched the man sink back into his armchair.

When Burt was finally seated and he'd reclined back into a comfortable looking position, he picked up the remote and clicked on the television.

"Kid… Have you ever seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off?"

* * *

The moment Kurt walked back into the cozy, heavily-Christmas-decorated living room, Burt looked up from where he was watching the opening credits of the movie and flashed him a look.

Kurt returned the look with what was meant to be a subtle nod.

Not subtle enough.

Blaine noticed.

A chill ran up his spine and he shifted uncomfortably in his position on the couch.

_What was that?_

_Was that… about me?_

Kurt stepped closer to Blaine, silently, and he seemed to be having trouble looking Blaine directly in the eye.

Blaine's heart began to pound in his chest.

_What's happening?_

_Why won't he look at me?_

Kurt finally reached the couch and sat down carefully next to Blaine. He sucked in a deep breath before turning to Blaine with a smile.

A forced smile.

"So…what movie did you pick?"

His voice wasn't right. It was… _off_… somehow.

"Please tell me it's not a western."

It was apparent that Kurt was trying to mask his true emotions.

Blaine wasn't buying it.

He ignored the question and turned to look at Kurt.

Once again, the eyes that were usually magnetically attracted to Blaine's were wandering elsewhere.

"Kurt…" Blaine spoke softly, unsure of himself. "W-what's wrong? Why won't you look at me?"

Kurt's heart sunk down to his perfectly pedicured toes.

He knew he shouldn't have tried to hide himself from Blaine.

"I…" Kurt started with a sigh. "I was going to wait until after the movie."

Blaine's panic rose higher in his chest.

He looked at Kurt with wide, scared eyes.

But he didn't have to speak. His huge, honey-hazel puppy dog eyes spoke louder than any words the teen could have articulated.

_What is going on, please just tell me now, please?_

Kurt drew in a long, hesitant breath and quickly glanced over to his father who simply shrugged his shoulders.

_Your call, kid._

Kurt sighs, and turns back to face Blaine, who looks as though he's about to jump out of his own skin.

"Blaine…" Kurt says softly. He grabs the teen's trembling hand and holds it between his own, desperate to stop Blaine's fingers from shaking so much. "It's about tomorrow."

Blaine's triangular eyebrows flatten on his forehead in confusion.

_What about tomorrow?_

"I-I have to go back to school."

_Oh._

Blaine tried hard not to allow the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach to reflect on his face but he can feel his body tense up, so he's certain that Kurt would have felt it too.

_Right._

_School._

He drew in his own deep breath.

_I'm okay._

_I need to be brave._

_For Kurt._

He nodded once he'd rediscovered his voice several seconds later.

"I-I understand."

_I can just stay with Carole again. _

_Maybe we can make cookies, or…_

Kurt cleared his throat and continued, unintentionally derailing Blaine's train of thought.

"…and Carole has to work at the hospital."

_Oh_.

Blaine's eyes widened as he considered Kurt's words.

_Oh._

_I'm going to be… alone._

_I have to stay here all by myself._

His heart was racing now, threatening to pound right through his ribcage and tear out of his chest.

_Brave._

_Brave._

_Brave._

_I have to be strong. _

He gulped and looked up at Kurt. His mouth felt very dry and he wasn't even sure if the words would come out or not, but he had to try.

"It's o-okay, Kurt…" He whispered. "I-I'm used to being by myself."

This time it's Kurt's eyes that widen in shock.

"Blaine!" He exclaimed louder than necessary, considering the boy is only inches away from him. "That- that's not at all what I meant!"

Blaine lifted his head from where he'd been purposefully looking to the floor, carefully avoiding Kurt's eyes.

He was confused.

_If… that's not what he meant… then…?_

"My dad is going to be here Blaine!" Kurt explained. "You won't be alone, honey. Ever. I promised you that and I always keep my promises."

Kurt leaned in and took Blaine into his arms.

He could feel Blaine's tense shoulders relax instantly as their bodies melted together.

"You don't have to be alone." He murmured over and over again, rubbing his hands through Blaine's matted curls.

Kurt was angry with himself for allowing Blaine to even think that he'd leave him alone.

It tore his heart to pieces when he realized that Blaine was willing to do it too.

He had been ready to accept it and was prepared to stay home alone all day.

A tear slipped down Kurt's cheek as he pulled his best friend in closer.

"I'd never do that do you, Blaine. Never." He cried. "I promise."

It was several minutes before they pulled apart.

Blaine was looking a thousand times more relaxed and Kurt seemed to be less upset with himself.

"A-are you okay?" Kurt asked, wiping his fist across his swollen eyes.

Blaine nodded.

"Are you?"

Kurt laughed through the last of his concerned sobs.

_Of course Blaine would ask that._

"Yes, Blaine." He answered truthfully. "I'm perfectly fine."

They settled back into the couch and each took another deep breath before Kurt launched into his explanation.

"I'm so sorry I scared you, Blaine." He starts. "I shouldn't have said it like that. I wasn't thinking. I just assumed…"

Kurt had to take a second to gather his thoughts before he continued.

"We'll never EVER leave you here by yourself. What I meant to say… what I _should_ have said… was that my dad is going to stay here with you tomorrow." Kurt looked up at Blaine with concern in his eyes.

"I wasn't sure… how you'd _take_ that… so I was scared to tell you… I'm so sorry."

Blaine finally realized for the first time what Kurt's anxious and scrambled words were insinuating.

_I'm going to be here tomorrow… alone… but with… Mr. Hummel._

A shiver snaked up his spine.

He knew he shouldn't be worried.

_It's only Mr. Hummel._

_Kurt's dad._

_He wouldn't…_

_I can trust him. _

_He won't hurt me._

Without warning, sounds and images popped into Blaine's mind from the evening following the football game when he'd met Burt Hummel for the first time.

His words had been so… _angry_.

'_You're the homophobic asshole who has been giving my son trouble at school!'_

'_Listen here you little prick…'_

'_I will have you arrested for assault. Do you understand me?'_

'_I said… do you understand me?'_

Blaine physically shuddered as he remembered his final threat.

'_I'm warning you son… one word...'_

He'd thought for certain that the menacing mammoth of a man was going to hit him.

Kurt felt Blaine's fear streak through his body and squeezed his hand.

Blaine pressed his eyes closed, desperate to push the memories from his mind.

_He didn't know me then._

_He wouldn't do that now…_

_I can trust him._

The moment the word 'trust' floated into his headspace, Blaine winced.

_Trust._

_I don't trust anyone._

_Not anymore._

_Not after what he did._

_Not after…_

Blaine shuddered again, so violently this time that it shook the cushions of the couch.

"Blaine?" Kurt sounded worried. "A-are you alright?"

Kurt's voice halted the memories immediately and the teen turned his head and looked around the living room, re-confirming his surroundings.

As he watched Blaine glance around the room hypnotically, Kurt couldn't help but think that they'd just narrowly avoided another panic attack.

"Blaine?" He asked again, his voice no louder than the softest whisper.

The younger teen drew in a breath so deep that his shoulders raised up against his neck before turning back towards Kurt.

"I-I'm okay." He stuttered.

"It's going to be alright, Blaine." Kurt reassured, giving Blaine's fingers another gentle squeeze. "He won't hurt you. I promise."

Blaine nodded.

_Kurt keeps his promises. _

_I can trust Kurt._

_If he says that I'll be okay tomorrow… then… I think I can believe him._

It worried him slightly that even in his head, he had to try and convince himself.

Burt cleared his throat from where he'd been watching the scene play out in front of him in his armchair.

Blaine had been close to another panic attack, that much was obvious, and Burt knew that if he was going to have any luck keeping the kid calm tomorrow… he was going to have to lay some groundwork.

"Blaine?" He spoke as softly as his gruff voice would allow. "I promise too, okay? Everything is going to be just fine tomorrow. We'll hang out only as much as you want to. If you'd rather spend some of the time in your room, that's okay too. I understand. But just know that you're safe here, okay?"

It took all of Blaine's strength to nod.

"I've got a bunch of hockey games saved on the PVR that I was hoping to catch up on. Maybe you'd like to watch some with me tomorrow?"

Blaine felt another squeeze from the delicate fingers holding his own as he gulped and gave the man another nod.

There were several minutes of very awkward silence before Carole entered the living room with a smile and a large bowl of popcorn.

"Who's ready to watch a movie?"

* * *

The movie wasn't even halfway finished when the doorbell rang.

Burt flashed Carole a questioning look as he climbed out of his chair, but was met only by an uncertain shrug.

_They weren't expecting company._

Burt was gone all of thirty seconds when he called for Carole to come to the doorway.

Blaine's skin prickled.

_Something is wrong._

He gulped and craned his head to the side, desperate to pick up any part of the conversation in the hallway.

He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but he had this feeling…

A really, really bad feeling.

Kurt picked up on Blaine's discomfort and squeezed his fingers underneath the blanket that they were curled together under.

He was just about to ask Blaine if he was okay when Carole re-entered the living room.

Her hands were clasped together in front of her, fidgeting nervously and she looked… agitated.

Blaine's heart plummeted.

He was right.

_Something is wrong._

_Really, really wrong._

"Blaine…" Carole said quietly as she approached the couch. She tried to keep her face neutral, but was failing miserably.

She was scared.

"There's… someone here who would like to talk to you." Her voice wavered slightly. "A police detective."

Kurt felt the exact moment the words sunk into Blaine's mind.

He physically felt the blood drain from Blaine's hands as his fingers turned to ice.

Kurt turned towards Blaine to tell him that he didn't need to talk to the detective if he wasn't ready, but the second he saw Blaine's face, he forgot how to speak.

He forgot how to breathe.

Blaine was white.

He'd seen Blaine while he was in the hospital recovering. He'd been pale then, but this was worse.

Much, much worse.

Blaine was so still that it didn't even look like he was breathing.

And his eyes.

If Kurt thought that Blaine's eyes were empty earlier when he was in the midst of his panic attack… he'd never seen emptiness before.

Blaine, the boy who'd come so far in such a short amount of time; finally digging up the courage to ask for the things he desired, who'd talked more today than he had in weeks, was gone.

_Really gone_.

He'd disappeared in the blink of an eye.

And that scared the absolute shit out of Kurt.

He squeezed Blaine's icy fingers, hoping and praying to a god he didn't believe in that he'd get something back… even the slightest tremor to ease his anxiety.

Nothing.

"B-Blaine?" Carole's voice was broken as she took in the sight of the petrified teenager sitting in front of her. She too, was astounded by Blaine's sudden departure.

Kurt slipped off the couch and kneeled in front of the boy, who'd not moved even an inch.

He still wasn't convinced that Blaine was still breathing.

"Sweetie?" Kurt choked on his own words, surprised at the weakness of his voice. "I-I need you to listen to me, okay?"

Even though there was no indication that Blaine had even heard Kurt's words, he had no choice but to continue.

"Can you hear my voice, Blaine? Can you feel my hands on yours?"

Nothing.

"I need you to come back, Blaine. I need you."

Kurt wanted to reach up and shake him.

Wake him up.

Scream at him to come back.

He couldn't do this again.

He couldn't just… _disappear_.

"Blaine, please!"

Kurt's words became more and more desperate and tears began to slide down his cheeks as he pressed his fingernails firmly into Blaine's skin in a flash of terrified anger.

Even the pain didn't bring him back.

"Honey… please come back." Carole tried, next to him. "We aren't going to let anyone hurt you, Blaine. Please… just come back."

Nothing.

Blaine's hollow body remained in the same stock-still position, his empty eyes staring straight ahead.

He looked dead.

Kurt shuddered at the thought.

_What if he didn't come back this time?_

_What if this was the last straw for him?_

_What if this was the time that his brain finally gave up on him?_

_He'd been so strong, and so brave to fight through everything that he had._

_But… what if he was too tired and he'd finally just… given up?_

Kurt couldn't handle it.

He wasn't going to let that happen.

"Damn it, Blaine!" He shouted. "I need you to come back! Don't you dare do this to me! Not now. Not after everything…" His voice trailed off and his body was wrecked with sobs.

"I need you, Blaine." He blubbered. "I need you... I can't do this without you... I need you… Please don't leave me… please…"

Carole didn't know what to do.

Kurt was falling apart.

He was on his knees in front of Blaine, literally begging for him to come back.

_Come back._

_Come back from what?_

_From where?_

_Where did he go?_

She didn't know what to do.

She cursed her stupidity.

_Why hadn't she just told the detective that Blaine wasn't ready? _

She knew he wasn't ready.

He was barely talking to them, let alone a complete stranger.

_Damn it._

_Damn it. _

_DAMN IT._

Now she was at a loss, uncertain of what could possibly be done to bring Blaine out of his nightmare.

She was a nurse for godsake; surely she should be able to do _something_…

She considered calling an ambulance, but quickly waved the thought away. If Blaine snapped out of his… his… _attack_… and was surrounded by strangers touching him and poking him with needles, he'd be destroyed. They'd lose him for sure.

Medication was not an option.

She had to be the boy's advocate.

She'd seen what even suggesting medication to him this afternoon had done to him.

Mediation was definitely not an option.

She needed something else.

She needed… Burt.

Carole felt awful leaving Blaine in his current state, but she couldn't help herself.

She got back up to her feet and rushed out of the living room to find the strongest man she knew.

* * *

Kurt was wrecked.

He had melted into a soggy, sobbing mess.

Tears were still pouring out of his red, puffy eyes and down his sunken cheeks.

He'd trying everything.

Nothing was working.

He'd begged Blaine to come back.

He'd sung to him.

He'd screamed at him.

Nothing was getting through to the boy on the couch.

He was gone.

And Kurt was almost convinced that this time, it was for good.

"P-please d-don't d-do this t-to me." His pleas were broken and barely audible.

"I-I c-can't live without you. I n-need you so much."

He wasn't even sure what he was saying now; the desperate words just kept tumbling out of his mouth.

"P-please Blaine, please c-come b-back. I-I'll do anything to g-get you back."

Kurt's head fell hopelessly into Blaine's lap, but he refused to let go of the boy's hand.

His frigid fingers were like the last lifeline to the empty husk of a boy left in front of him.

He was exhausted, but he refused to give up.

He continued to beg, and plead, and cry and hope.

He couldn't give up hope.

"P-please Blaine." His voice was even quieter now, spent from overuse and desperation.

"Please, j-just come back. Come b-back to me. P-please don't l-leave me."

"You c-can't leave m-me alone, Blaine… p-please… I-I love you."

Kurt lost it.

His cries switched from desperate to devastated.

That wasn't how it was suppose to happen.

He didn't want to tell Blaine he loved him like this.

It was suppose to be romantic, with flowers and candles and…

_Ohmygod_.

Kurt's head shot up.

They moved.

The fingers moved.

He was sure of it.

"B-Blaine?"

He couldn't see through the clouded haze of tears, but he was certain he'd felt Blaine move his fingers underneath his own.

"B-Blaine, please… can y-you… can you hear me?"

He waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

He was about to burst into another fit of anguish when he felt it again.

And damn it… he knew it felt it for sure that time.

"Blaine!" He cried. "I'm here! I'm right here! Come back for me sweetie… please… just come back!"

Another wiggle.

Kurt almost lost his mind.

A fresh round of tears rolled down his cheeks as he squeezed back.

"I'm here! Come back Blaine, I'm right here!"

Kurt saw Blaine's eyes flicker and he jumped to his feet in front of him.

"That's it… please… keep trying… please come back!"

Blaine blinked.

Once.

Twice.

"Oh! Thank god!" Kurt shouted.

He couldn't help himself, he darted forward and pulled the still-dazed boy into his arms and held him for all he was worth.

He was back.

Blaine had fought though the fog and had come back to him once again.

After several seconds of holding him so tight that he could have suffocated the poor boy, Kurt could feel Blaine's hands begin to stir and he pulled away carefully.

Blaine was looking at him.

His eyes were still very hazy… and half-closed in a sleepy sort of way, but they were looking _at_ Kurt now, and not _through_ him.

"Blaine…" Kurt managed to lower his voice to barely above a whisper, despite the relief, which flooded his veins. "Can you hear me?"

It took an extra second for the words to register, but finally after a lifetime of Kurt waiting on the tips of his toes…

Blaine nodded.

"You're okay now, Blaine. You're safe. No one can hurt you, okay?"

There was no nod this time.

Kurt frowned, but decided to continue.

"Do you remember what happened?"

He watched as Blaine's eyes grew dark, almost black, and it sent a chilling shiver up his spine.

_He remembered._

"It's okay." Kurt jumped in quickly, and squeezed Blaine's fingers. "You don't have to answer. Would you like to go to your room? We can finish the movie another time."

Blaine's eyes finally wandered from their position, and Kurt knew exactly what he was looking for.

"They'll send him away." Kurt explained hopefully. "They won't make you see him or talk to him, okay? Not until you're ready."

Blaine didn't respond.

"What do you say?" Kurt tried to sound hopeful. "Would you like to go lay down? Maybe you need a rest…"

Blaine nodded.

Kurt stood up and offered Blaine his hand.

It broke his heart just a little bit when Blaine hesitated before reaching out and taking Kurt's fingers in his own.

Blaine was very unsteady on his feet when Kurt helped him up, so he wrapped his arm around Blaine's torso and assisted his every step.

It took them a painful amount of time to reach the bedroom, not dissimilar to when Blaine had first arrived at the house, and Kurt silently prayed to anyone who would listen that the teen had not regressed back to that point.

Once inside Blaine's bedroom, Kurt flipped on the light switch and assisted Blaine over towards the bed.

He helped the weakened boy sit down on the edge of the soft bed and took a step back.

Blaine was staring at the door.

When Kurt made no movement towards it, Blaine looked up at him with desperate eyes.

_Lock it._

Kurt sucked in a devastated breath.

He moved towards the door and pulled it closed gently.

Before touching the lock, he turned back to Blaine, who remained on the very edge of the bed. He'd brought his hand up and was running it over the top of his hair mindlessly, but he was still staring at the metal lock.

_Please lock it._

Kurt clicked the lock into place.

Blaine heard the sound and looked back up at Kurt, while still flattening his curls nervously with his right hand.

_Is it locked?_

"It's locked, Blaine." Kurt confirmed, his voice wavering slightly with sadness.

Blaine looked doubtful. He craned his neck, as though attempting to look around Kurt and see for himself.

Kurt's own eyes fell closed in disbelief and his heart shattered.

_He doesn't trust me anymore._

He moved to the side, giving Blaine a full view of the door. And the lock.

"It's locked."

Blaine's terrified eyes slipped back up to meet Kurt's

_Are you sure?_

A single tear rolled down Kurt's face.

"I promise."

Nothing else was said.

Blaine refused to have his regular bath before bed and he wouldn't change into his pyjamas, choosing rather to climb into bed wearing the same sweatpants and T-shirt that he'd donned the entire day.

Kurt didn't fight him on it.

Blaine was laying on the bed, in his regular spot, on his back looking up at the ceiling.

Kurt approached the bed slowly.

"B-Blaine?"

When the younger teen refused to turn and look at him, Kurt continued.

"W-would you like me to leave, or c-can I stay in here with you tonight?"

Blaine gulped as he considered Kurt's question.

The fact that he even had to think about it sent daggers through Kurt's already shattered heart.

After several minutes, Blaine finally shrugged and pulled back the covers just slightly, indicating to Kurt that he would give him permission him to stay.

Kurt released the breath he'd been holding for far too long and quickly, but carefully, climbed into the bed beside Blaine.

They laid there, both on their backs for several minutes, in the most awkward of silences.

Kurt could feel the tension emanating off Blaine's body and he longed to reach out and hold him.

But he knew that would be a fatal error at this point.

"A-are you okay?"

It was a stupid question, Kurt knew for sure.

Of course Blaine wasn't '_okay'_.

"Do you want to… _talk_ about it?"

The accompanying silence was deafening.

It was several minutes later when Kurt heard a disgruntled huff of breath come from the teen laying next to him.

He carefully turned his head to see Blaine, still lying on his back, with his eyes open, staring upwards.

He looked… _irritated_.

It looked like he was concentrating on something.

It took a moment for the pieces to fall into place.

Blaine was counting his stars.

Kurt watched sadly, as the teen was silent for a while as he counted, but then grew frustrated, obviously losing count, and then starting the process over and over again.

He knew neither of them would sleep tonight.

He wished he could just hold him, and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

But he could feel how rigid Blaine's body was lying next to him and he knew that wasn't even an option and he kept his hands to himself.

At one point, Kurt unintentionally neglected his no-hands rule and reached out carelessly to move a stray curl that had fallen over Blaine's face.

The teen violently flinched away from Kurt's touch, and brought up his own hand to neurotically flatten the long, playful curls on the top of his head.

Kurt sighed.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_Blaine was cold._

_Incredibly cold._

_His back ached from lying crimped on the unforgiving floor of his tiny metal prison._

_His hands ached from where his wrists were bound together above his head for hours on end – Blaine wasn't even sure why they did that; it wasn't like he could go anywhere._

_His legs ached from being curled up underneath him._

_The rest of his lower half… yeah, it definitely still ached._

_His entire body ached._

_Blaine was shuddering so violently that he could hear his teeth chattering, but he was unsure if it was on account of the cold, or the drugs, or… _

_He was miserable._

_His brain had spun every scenario over the past…_

_How many days?_

_He'd lost count._

_He tried to keep his tears at bay. _

_They didn't like it when he cried._

_But sometimes, when he was alone in the dark (was it nighttime again?) he would allow himself the opportunity to shed a few silent tears._

_A tear for the pain._

_A tear for the memories._

_A tear for… Kurt._

_God, he missed Kurt._

_He tried not to think about him; it was awful to associate him into his mind with everything else that was jammed in there._

_Kurt didn't deserve that._

_But he missed him so much._

_He needed him._

_He knew what he was doing was fucked up. _

_That much was certain._

_But somehow along the way, his brain had been molded into believing that he was doing this for the right reasons._

_He had to do this._

_He had to protect Kurt._

_He'd do anything for Kurt._

_He had already done anything for Kurt._

_Another shill screamed up his aching spine and he tugged against his restraints, desperate for relief. _

_It didn't come._

_He'd lost feeling in his shoulder days ago._

_He was certain it was beyond messed up. Probably irreparable. _

_Not that he was ever going to get out of here to use it anyways._

_No._

_He couldn't think like that._

_He had to stay positive._

_An image of Kurt's face popped into his mind._

_The epitome of beautiful perfection._

_Kurt was keeping him going._

_If he didn't stay focused…_

_No._

_He had to stay positive._

_He startled when the door into the motel room creaked open and a tiny sliver of light illuminated the blackness where he lay._

_He squeezed his eyes shut._

_They're back._

_It didn't seem like long enough since… the last one._

_Maybe there will be more… appointments now._

_Blaine shuddered._

_He hated the appointments._

_He tried to regulate his staccato breathing, desperate to make it appear as though he was asleep._

_Not that it ever made a difference._

_He heard the footsteps creep closer and closer to his… cage._

_As much as it chilled him to admit it, there was no other word for it._

_He was locked in a cage._

_He heard the gentle click of the light switch and could see a faint glow of light from behind his closed eyelids._

_He waited._

_He waited for the gruff, horrible voices._

_Ominous chuckles._

_Rough hands._

_Foul breaths._

_But they never came._

_Instead, a new voice sounded from somewhere to his left._

"_Blaine?"_

_The softness of the voice startled him more than any of the scary ones ever had._

_He froze. Too terrified to even breathe._

_Who is that?_

"_Blaine…" The gentle voice continued. "My name is John. I'm a police officer and I'm here to help you."_

_Blaine gasped. _

_He hated himself for showing his hand so quickly, but he couldn't contain his surprise._

_A… police officer?_

_Was here?_

_He fought with every thread of strength he had remaining not to open his eyes._

_He didn't want to see._

_He didn't want to open his eyes and realize that he'd been wrong._

_He'd been tricked enough._

_He wasn't going to take any chances._

"_Blaine?" The voice was so soft. So gentle. "Can you hear me?"_

_Their voices weren't soft and gentle like this._

_Maybe… maybe he was here to help._

_He heard the footsteps approach him and felt the slightest rush of air as the man kneeled down beside the cage, slowly and cautiously._

"_I'm going to untie your hands, okay?"_

_Blaine forgot how to breathe. _

_He tried not to flinch when he felt a pair of warm hands touching his own frozen ones. _

_But suddenly… he was free._

_The ropes were gone._

_The immediate relief to his wrists and injured shoulder was enough to make him let out a sigh._

"_I'm here to help you, okay?"_

_Blaine wanted to believe it, he really did, but he was still so, so scared._

_He heard the man fumbling with the padlock on the door of the cage and his heart fluttered in his chest._

_Was he really going to get him out of here?_

_Was this… this man… really going to help him?_

_The door of the cage swung open slowly and Blaine felt the presence of the man slip away._

_He'd opened the door and had taken a step back._

"_You can come out now." The voice said calmly. "I won't hurt you."_

_Blaine finally allowed his eyes to drift open. _

_He risked a look around him._

_His hands really where free._

_There were rope burns, and they were tingling as the circulation returned to his fingers, but they were… free._

_This man was actually helping him._

_He hesitated. _

_Can I really trust him?_

_He remembered the man's words._

_He's a police officer._

_He's here to help me._

_Maybe… Maybe Kurt sent him here to find me._

_He's a police officer._

_Police officers help people._

_He's going to help me._

_I can trust him._

_Blaine lifted his head slowly and looked at the man for the first time._

_He was wearing a suit._

_A fancy suit._

_It looked expensive._

_He wasn't wearing filthy jeans or sweatpants like the rest._

_He looked… professional._

_He looked like a cop._

_Blaine sucked in a staggered breath._

_He was safe now._

_He'd been rescued._

_He could… go home._

_He paused at that thought. _

_Home._

_Even with the insanity of his current situation, a tiny smile formed on his lips._

_Home._

_The first image that had come to his mind was the Hummel's house._

_Kurt._

_He could finally go home to Kurt._

_Slowly, carefully and painfully, Blaine managed to crawl out from inside of the cage._

_He ignored the pain._

_It didn't matter anymore._

_He was going home._

_As he slipped past the final cool, metal bar, he couldn't help but think to himself that he'd never have to be in the cage again. _

_He was going home._

_Home to Kurt._

_Once he was crouched outside the cage door, Blaine finally found the strength to look up at his rescuer._

_The man was thin and very tall; he had neatly trimmed sandy blonde hair and a rather large nose._

_His eyes looked… friendly._

_After seeing so many pairs of dark, horrible eyes… Blaine allowed his heart to feel a tiny flutter of hope when he looked into these ones._

"_Hello there." The voice said. "It's Blaine, right?"_

_Blaine nodded silently._

"_Thank you for coming out to talk to me." The man looked genuine, and Blaine allowed his shoulders to relax slightly. "Can I help you to sit down?"_

_Blaine hesitated. _

_He wasn't really comfortable with anyone, especially a male stranger, touching him. _

_But this man was a police officer. _

_He was going to help him._

_He nodded._

_The man stepped slowly towards Blaine, knowing that the boy would be hesitant to accept his touches._

_He reached out a hand and was ecstatic when the boy placed his own fingers inside of it and allowed him to help him to his feet._

_He placed a gentle arm around Blaine's middle when his legs wobbled underneath him; it had obviously been a while since he'd stood on his own power._

_The man helped Blaine over to the bed and allowed him to sit of the edge of it. _

_It was soft. _

_So much softer than the floor of the cage._

_His backside stung at the pressure but Blaine didn't care._

_He was going home._

"_Blaine… I need to ask you a few questions before we can leave, alright?"_

_Blaine nodded._

_Anything._

_Whatever it takes. _

_I just wanna go home._

"_You're what… sixteen?"_

_Blaine nodded._

"_And you've been kept here against your will, obviously." The man sounded like he regretted the question the moment it had slipped from his mouth._

_Blaine gulped, and nodded again._

"_Can you tell me the names of the… perpetrators who did this?"_

_It sounded so official._

_Blaine shook his head._

_He didn't know their names. _

_Only their faces._

"_Okay. That's alright. You're doing great, Blaine."_

_Blaine attempted to shift himself on the bed slightly, trying to take some of the pressure off his throbbing backside, but instead, a shooting pain surged up his shoulder and into his neck._

_He gasped and his other hand shot up and grabbed at his aching extremity without his permission._

"_Blaine?" The man's voice sounded concerned. "Are you alright?"_

_Blaine couldn't help the tears._

_It hurt so bad._

_But he needed to be brave. _

_He had to answer the questions so he could go home._

_He nodded._

"_Have you injured your shoulder?"_

_Blaine's eyes widened._

_He's a police officer, I can't lie._

_He nodded slowly._

_The man reached forward without thinking and Blaine flinched away from him suddenly._

"_It's okay." The man reassured. "I won't hurt you, I just want to make sure that you're okay."_

_Blaine looked up at the man's eyes doubtfully._

"_I'll be very careful with it. I promise."_

_Blaine sucked in a breath._

_He's a policeman._

_He won't hurt me._

_He nodded._

"_Why don't we pull up your shirt so I can see how bad it is?"_

_Blaine froze._

_Every cell in his body was screaming at him to refuse._

_Say no._

_But he was a police officer._

_You can't say no to a police officer._

_So Blaine nodded and allowed the man to help him slide out of the tattered remains of the shirt._

_Kurt's shirt._

_Blaine sat on the edge of the bed, feeling incredibly exposed. _

_His bare chest, covered in bruises, cuts and burns in the open for all the world to see._

"_Oh, you poor thing."_

_The man's fingers traced over the darkest of Blaine's bruises, and Blaine had to close his eyes and bite his lips not to cry out._

"_It's okay son. I won't hurt you."_

_Blaine hates the touches. _

_He hates the feeling of a stranger's fingers touching his sensitive skin._

_But he has to admit that this man's touches are gentle, not rough and horrible like the other men._

_His hands were clean and soft, not dry and callused with grungy fingernails. _

_He winces at the thought._

"_Blaine… I know this is… very, very hard, but we need to inspect… everything."_

_Blaine blinks, unsure of what the man is asking._

"_I uh- need to assess the damage below as well."_

_Blaine doesn't want it to be true._

_He was hoping to just sign on the dotted line and go home._

_But he realizes now that it's simply not an option. _

_He has to do this. _

_Only one more time, and then he can go home._

_Kurt._

_Kurt. Kurt. Kurt._

_I can do this for Kurt._

_He nods, albeit unwillingly._

"_Can you… please take down your jeans?"_

_He gulps, looking down at the filthy denim covering his legs. _

_Kurt's denim._

_The jeans aren't even fitting him properly anymore; they hang much more loosely than he remembered._

_They're torn, filthy and covered in stains._

_Stains that Blaine doesn't even want to think about._

"_Do you… need me help you?"_

_The words startle Blaine; he'd almost forgotten the man's presence._

_He shakes his head._

_I can do this._

_One last time._

_I can trust him._

_He's a police officer._

_Blaine stands up from the bed with a painful gasp. His legs are weak and wobbly, and he's forced to reach back with his hand and steady himself against the solidity of the bed for a moment before he continues._

_Then he reaches down with his right hand and tugs down the denim. He's lost so much weight that he doesn't even need to unbutton them. They slide off completely._

_He tries to find solace in the thought that at least he got to take them off himself this time._

_The denim slides down his thin legs and lands in a puddle by his feet._

_He's standing there shivering, feeling… exposed and naked._

_And then he remembers… that he is._

_They don't let him wear underwear._

"_Good boy." He hears just vaguely. The voice sounds like it's underwater. "You're such a good boy."_

_Blaine waits._

_And waits._

_His trembling gets worse as he stands in the middle of the dingy motel room stark naked, waiting for something to happen._

_Is he going to take pictures for the file?_

_That's usually what the detectives do on TV. _

_He ignores the searing pain in his shoulder and wraps his arms around his torso protectively._

_It's almost over. _

_Almost done._

_Then I can go home._

_Kurt._

_Kurt._

_Kurt._

_It's almost over._

_Blaine takes a breath and re-opens his eyes._

_When had he closed them?_

_The man was still staring at him._

_What is he doing?_

_Why is he staring?_

_Am I that… damaged?_

"_You have beautiful hair."_

_Blaine blanched. _

_What?_

"_Gorgeous curls."_

_The prickling was back around Blaine's heart._

_What the fuck is he talking about?_

_Please just take the stupid pictures so I can go._

_Please._

_I just want to go home._

"_Why don't you lay down?" The man says. "You look so exhausted. I don't want you to fall over."_

_Blaine can feel his legs turning to jelly. _

_He doesn't want to fall. _

_He knows how much it hurts his… everything… when he falls._

_He doesn't want to, but he nods. _

_It takes him a few tries to step out of the jeans that are piled at his feet, but eventually, he does and manages to climb up onto the bed and lay on his back. _

_It hurts. _

_A lot._

_But he wasn't about to lay with his back to this man and there's no way he can lay on his injured shoulder._

_So he sucks his lip between his teeth and bites down, hard, to mask the pain._

_Blaine painfully draws his left knee up into his body, a vacant attempt to conceal his most private area from the man._

_The police officer._

_Not that it matters now. _

_Blaine's private areas haven't been private in a long time. _

_His body is trembling harder than it ever has before, and this time, Blaine's certain it's not from the cold._

_He waits again._

_But the man keeps staring._

_And then finally… the moment that changed everything._

"_Touch yourself."_

_Blaine's blood ran cold._

_Within seconds, all of the hope, and positivity and… strength is gone._

_He stops breathing._

_He's… he's one of them._

_He's not here to help me._

_He's one of them._

_Blaine's not sure how much time has passed since his revelation, but suddenly the man is beside him._

_His eyes don't look as warm now._

_The man… the liar… reaches his hand down and lowers Blaine's leg to the bed._

"_Let's just move this down so I can watch you, shall we?"_

_Blaine can't fight it._

_He's shattered._

_Everything that he thought was right… was wrong._

_Everything he'd hoped for… lost._

_He wasn't going home._

"_You're such a good boy, aren't you?"_

_The man's words bring acid to Blaine's lips._

_He wants to throw up._

_He wants to scream._

_He wants to run._

_But he can't. _

_He's cemented in place._

_The man's hand slides up Blaine's naked thigh, over his abdomen and up his chest._

_Blaine shivers as goose pimples form in its wake._

_The cold, untrusting hand meets Blaine's fingers and pulls them down over his own body, further and further down until…_

_Oh._

_Oh god._

_He's making Blaine touch himself._

_Coaching him softly._

_Whispering unheard words and praises into Blaine's ear as he runs his free hand through Blaine's tangled curls._

"_Such a good boy."_

"_You're my good boy."_

_The hand tightens and tugs on his hair._

"_Such beautiful hair. I love your gorgeous curls."_

_Blaine whimpers._

_He's helpless._

_Hopeless._

_I trusted him._

_He was supposed to help me._

_I trusted him._

"_I want you to make yourself come while I watch."_

_Tears slide down Blaine's cheeks._

_But he doesn't try to hide them._

_He doesn't even care._

_Nothing matters._

_Not anymore._

_Nothing could be any worse._

_Blaine forces himself to obey the man's request, touching himself with quivering fingers until he comes shamefully._

_He is angry with his body for betraying him._

_For responding to the unwanted touch. _

_Even if it was from his own hand._

_There was no pleasure._

_No pain._

_Just… emptiness._

_He barely feels the man flip him over and move his arms above his head._

_He barely feels the cold, hard metal of the handcuffs clicking into place._

_Police issued handcuffs._

_But he does feel the soft, barely-there touches of the man's hands on his already damaged skin._

_He does feel the man's fingers pull roughly on his curls; so hard that it arcs his throat back._

_He does feel it when the man splits him open with his hands and enters him gently._

_He feels every single one of the slow, careful thrusts._

_And they feel much, much worse than any of the rough, reckless ones ever had._

* * *

Gentle hands.

Gentle hands were so much worse than the forceful ones.

They were still pressing into his skin.

Blaine feels that his hands are free from the handcuffs now.

He's not sure when that happened.

He doesn't even want to remember.

He's had enough.

He can't take it anymore.

It's too much.

He bolts up and pushes against the weight of the man.

He can't help it.

He wants him… gone.

The gentle hands try and pin his arms down against his sides.

So he fights harder.

He's not doing this anymore.

It has to stop.

With every ounce of strength, determination and courage that he had left…

Blaine pushed.

He heard the body tumble off the bed and hit the floor with a satisfying thud.

He'd done it.

He'd pushed him away.

He'd made it stop.

But then… he heard the crying.

Blaine froze.

Something didn't make sense.

_I made him cry?_

Blaine blinked, trying to clear the haze from in front of his eyes.

The crying continued, transitioning into heavy, gut-wrenching sobs.

Something wasn't right.

Finally his vision cleared and he looked around.

He expected to see a table, and a cage and… awful, awful things.

But he didn't see any of that.

Instead, there was a dresser with a large oval mirror, a desk with a swivel chair next to a bookshelf and… stars.

_Stars_?

He caught his first glance of them out of the corner of his eye and looked up.

Hundreds of tiny stars twinkled above him.

Everything sunk into place.

He wasn't at the motel.

He was…

_Oh shit._

_Kurt._

Blaine bounded over to the side of the bed, ignoring the protests of his aching shoulder and looked down on the floor.

Kurt was laying crumpled in a mess of limbs.

_His_ Kurt.

_His_ Kurt was crying.

Blaine's heart shattered at the scene in front of him.

_He'd done this._

_He'd made Kurt cry._

Kurt suddenly looked up from his place on the floor.

And Blaine almost died when he saw it.

Kurt's face…

Gone was the beautiful, flawless boy he knew so well.

He…

He looked terrified.

Blaine drew in a sharp gasp.

_He's scared of me._

_I've turned into the monster._

_I hurt him._

_I'm no better than they are._

_I'm a monster just like them._

The thought sickened Blaine.

He closed his eyes to ease the nausea but all he could see was Kurt's terrified eyes.

So he ran.

He launched himself off the bed and across the floor.

It took him several seconds to fumble with the heavy metal lock, but the moment he pried it open and flung open the door…

He was gone.

Kurt was so stunned by Blaine's reaction that he couldn't think straight, but the moment the boy fled from the room, he shook off his own fears, wiped the tears from his eyes and chased after him.

Kurt had half expected to find that Blaine had run right out of the house in his moment of self-doubt and terror, so he was surprised to see the light on in the bathroom across the hallway.

He stepped slowly, carefully, unsure of what he'd find.

When he'd woken to Blaine sobbing and whimpering in his sleep, all he'd done was press a gentle hand to the top of the boy's shoulder.

But it had still been too much.

Blaine had still been too volatile.

Too afraid.

He'd not expected Blaine to shove him as hard as he had.

Kurt had toppled out of the bed and landed hard on his back, with the wind knocked out of him.

It was a terrifying feeling, not being able to breathe.

It wasn't Blaine's fault, but Kurt knew damn well that's exactly what the younger teen had assumed.

Kurt gently pushed open the door to the bathroom and his heart plummeted when he saw the trembling teenager leaned over the bowl of the toilet.

The sound of Blaine's dry heaves made Kurt's own stomach clench, but he forced himself to step softly up beside him and kneel down on the cool tile floor.

"Blaine." He whispered. He took a chance and placed a gentle, soothing hand on the middle of the retching boy's back, and rubbed careful circles into his skin. "I'm here, you're okay now."

Blaine tensed under Kurt's careful touch.

_Why is he even here?_

_He should be scared of me._

_I'm a monster._

Another wave of nausea hit him, causing him to heave once again into the cold porcelain bowl.

_I'm a fucking monster._

_I'm disgusting._

_I'm a sick freak who touches himself while people watch._

It took a while, but eventually Blaine's tremors began to subside and his muscles relaxed against the cold porcelain of the toilet.

"A-are you okay?"

Kurt felt like an idiot the moment the words slipped out.

Of course Blaine wasn't okay.

"I mean… are you still going to be sick?"

Blaine cringed.

_I'll always be sick._

He forced himself to shake his head.

"Okay, why don't you sit back and I'll get a warm cloth for your face."

Blaine didn't understand.

_Why is he being so nice to me?_

_He should hate me._

He forced himself to draw back from the toilet and leaned against the wall next to the bathtub.

His eyes barely registered Kurt reaching into the drawer, pulling out a blue face cloth and running it under the faucet.

The taller teen returned to Blaine's side seconds later, and looked at him with gentle eyes.

"Blaine… can I… help you clean up?"

Blaine swallowed nervously.

His throat felt tight and it was like he could still feel the handcuffs binding his wrists.

They itched.

_I'm sick._

_You shouldn't touch me. _

_I'm sick._

But when he looked up and saw the look of genuine care in Kurt's eyes and it gave him just the tiniest flutter of hope.

He nodded.

Kurt took a deep breath and dabbed at Blaine's face with the warm, damp cloth.

He couldn't help but notice Blaine nervously scratching at his wrists. It was almost as though he was still re-living some of his nightmare.

"It's okay now, Blaine" He reassured softly. "You're safe."

The scratching didn't stop.

Kurt rewarmed the cloth in the sink and took a second pass at wiping Blaine's face.

He jumped slightly when his fingers slipped up to smooth out an unruly curl and Blaine recoiled from the touch.

_Please don't touch my hair._

_Please, just stop._

_Please._

Kurt stopped.

"You're okay, sweetie." He reassured. "You're okay."

His encouraging words didn't seem to be helping.

Then Kurt decided to try something else.

"You didn't hurt me, Blaine."

Large, hazel eyes darted up to meet his own.

_Finally_.

"You didn't." Kurt reaffirmed. "You just startled me, that's all."

Blaine's eyes softened just slightly.

_Finally_.

"You pushed away who you thought was bad." Kurt explained. "See? You _are_ strong and brave."

Blaine gulped, still nervously scratching at his wrists.

He could see that the handcuffs were gone, but it was like he could still feel the metal digging into his flesh.

He could still feel the hands.

He could still feel…

Blaine hissed as his fingernail managed to break through the skin of his left wrist.

But he didn't stop scratching.

"Blaine… please, stop that." Kurt pleaded, trying to keep his voice controlled. "You're hurting yourself, please stop."

Blaine's eyes were distant again, as though he was remembering.

Re-experiencing.

Kurt dropped the cloth and tried to pull Blaine's hand away.

It was like an iron grip.

And Blaine kept scratching.

"Blaine!" Kurt's voice lost its control then. "Cut it out!"

Finally, Blaine gasped and his arms went limp.

It seemed as though he'd pulled Blaine out of his trance so Kurt lifted his chin until he could see Blaine's eyes.

They were empty again.

He was shaking. Violently.

"I'm going to get a blanket." Kurt announced. "You're freezing."

He stood up carefully and looked back down at the trembling teen with sad eyes.

"Then we'll talk, okay?" His voice sounded almost as panicked as he felt.

He knew he shouldn't leave Blaine like this. He knew it.

But his brain was so messed up that he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep control of himself.

He needed a break.

Blaine nodded hypnotically. He wasn't even sure what he'd just agreed to.

* * *

The moment he felt Kurt's presence leave the tiny bathroom, Blaine ripped his arm out of his sling, not even feeling the pain that surged through his neck and began scratching nervously at his wrists once again.

_Disgusting._

_Ruined._

_Sick._

_Appalling._

Each word accented another scratch, deeper and deeper into his flesh until he felt the cool flow of blood trickling down his arms.

Blaine looked down and stared numbly at the trails of crimson rolling down his wrists.

It was almost hypnotic.

_Cut it out._

He remembered Kurt's words.

Those were the words that brought him back this time.

_Cut it out._

He forced himself to his feet and stood next to the sink and looked into the mirror as the blood continued to streak down his arms, staining the countertop and the floor.

He didn't recognize the shaggy-haired boy that stared back at him.

The face in the mirror made him sick.

_I am sick._

_Infected and disgusting._

Blaine stared into the mirror, entranced by the repulsive stranger staring back at him.

_Cut it out._

Blaine's eyes widened at the idea.

_I need to get rid of him._

He unsystematically ripped open the cupboards and drawers of the bathroom vanity, hearing Kurt's words echoing through his head.

_Cut it out._

_Cut it out._

_Cut it out._

He tossed aside hairbrushes and bottles of creams, lotions and scrubs.

_There has to be something…_

_Something sharp._

_Anything._

He continued to burrow through the items in the drawers, desperate to find something that might work before Kurt came back.

_I have to cut him out._

Finally, he found what he was looking for.

A razor blade.

Blaine picked up the blade and held it up to the light, inspecting it carefully.

He was completely oblivious to the drops of blood still falling from his wrists as he studied his latest treasure with a manic glint in his eyes.

The fierce looking metal shone, _gleamed_ even as the faint light from the bathroom reflected off the lethal edge of the shiny silver blade.

_Perfect_.

* * *

Kurt was distraught.

Okay… maybe that was an understatement.

Kurt was fucking terrified.

The look on the Blaine's face as he sat on the bathroom floor had literally slaughtered a large piece of Kurt's soul.

He'd looked… devastated.

His eyes hadn't only looked void and despondent, but… hopeless.

Blaine had gone catatonic four times in the past 24 hours.

Four.

Kurt didn't like that the number was increasing every day.

He'd really hoped that they'd made some progress today, what with the Christmas decorating, the family dinner and movie.

But it was like every time they took a step forward with Blaine's progress, they got knocked two steps back.

Or nine.

Everything seemed to be unraveling at the seams.

And Kurt didn't understand why.

It was obvious that Blaine was nowhere near ready to meet with the police to discuss what happened in that motel room.

But the way he'd pushed Kurt away – both emotionally and physically, following his last episode…

It was getting harder and harder to see any glimmer of hope in the situation.

And it was getting harder and harder for Kurt to keep trying to.

All he knew was that there was a terrified teenager in the bathroom and he needed to go back in there.

It scared him to think that he almost didn't want to.

He had to remind himself that it was Blaine in there.

Blaine.

The boy he'd promised to take care of.

_I'll never let you fall._

He took a deep breath as he stepped into Blaine's bedroom.

Kurt felt as though Blaine would benefit from something familiar and comforting, so he padded into the bedroom and pulled off the heavy mink blanket from his bed.

He turned to walk back out of the room, but hesitated, turned around and grabbed Thumpy too.

"I might need you for this one, old friend."

As he stepped back into the hallway, Kurt concluded that he had two choices.

He could go wake up his dad and Carole and get them to help console the troubled boy, or he could walk back into the bathroom and deal with it himself.

_I could really use some back up on this one._

He knew it was late, likely after 3am, so he took a deep breath, shrugged the heavy blanket over his shoulder and padded towards the bathroom in his barefeet.

_I need to do this alone._

Kurt was relieved to see that the door was still slightly ajar, based on the thin slice of light peeking between the door and the frame.

He stopped for a moment before pushing it open and took several deep breaths.

_I can do this._

_Blaine needs me._

_It's going to be okay._

All the pep talks in the world would not have prepared him for what he would see when he finally pushed open the bathroom door.

_Blood._

_So much blood._

Blaine was standing in front of the mirror with a razor blade in his hands.

_His bloody hands._

"No!" Kurt screamed, dropping both the blanket and the plush rabbit to the floor outside the bathroom. "Stop! Blaine! Stop!"

Blaine, who'd not seen Kurt open the door, leapt back in terror. His feet became tangled in the bathmat next to the toilet and he clumsily tripped backwards…

…directly into the bathtub with a thunderous crash.

Even through the agony, Blaine managed to bring his hands up to cover his face protectively.

Kurt was frozen.

Speechless.

Boneless.

He literally had no idea what to say.

He didn't have a clue what to do.

He couldn't even move.

The razor blade.

_His_ razor blade.

He knew exactly where it had come from.

It had been in his burgundy travel bag.

Kurt had placed the blade in there himself.

Months ago, after… after a particularly hard day at school, dealing with the bullying from Karofsky and Azimio.

He remembered the afternoon as though it was yesterday…

* * *

_Kurt took the blade out of the disposable plastic razor and stood over the sink, unable to look at himself in the mirror. He stared down at the hand-shaped bruises on his pale, disgusting arm and swallowed hard. He'd dealt with the football jocks for so long. He was so tired. Too tired. He'd been hiding in the girls bathroom that morning when he'd heard them talking about some freshman girl cutting. The idea had repulsed Kurt. But he hadn't been able to clear the images from his mind ever since. The first thing he did when he got home from school was lock himself in the bathroom. Now there he stood, razor blade in hand, potentially going to find out what all the hype was about._

_He couldn't hear anything over the way his heart throbbed in his ears, until Finn had come barreling through the front door with a bunch of guys, making noise about sandwiches and the Xbox. Kurt, afraid to get caught, had nervously dropped the blade into his travel bag, zipped it up, and shoved it as far back into the vanity cupboard as he could. He'd gone to bed early that night and vowed to never touch it again._

* * *

But Blaine _had_ found it.

And judging by the vast amount of blood on the edge of the sink and on the tiled floor, he'd chosen to use it.

He pushed the door until it was fully open, but slowly, and gently, trying not to frighten Blaine any further.

His beautiful Blaine.

The tiny bird in his hands that he was afraid to crush.

"Sweetheart..." he could barely get the word out. Kurt's voice cracked as he takes in the sight of the cowering boy, lying halfway inside the bathtub.

Blaine wasn't looking up at him.

Kurt didn't care about being slow, subtle, or even gentle anymore. He rushed towards the tub and pulled Blaine's blood soaked form up until he was cradling him in his chest.

"Oh g-god… Blaine."

Kurt finally broke, and pressed his face into Blaine's shoulder, covering it with tears.

He knew he was squeezing the boy too tight, but he didn't care.

Blaine's body was rigid; his muscles tense as Kurt held him tighter and tighter.

Finally, Kurt pulled away from the boy and looked into his hazel eyes with a desperate, pleading gaze.

"P-please don't do it…" He begged. "P-please…"

Blaine's forehead creases in confusion.

Then he looked down.

There's blood.

_A lot of blood._

Down the inside of both of his wrists and on the front of his shirt.

The new shirt that Kurt bought for him.

It sickens him that he's apparently ruined that too.

Blaine's expression changed from a look of utter confusion to the saddest, most pain-filled thing Kurt had ever seen in less than a millisecond.

Then Blaine looked down at the razor in his hand and at the crimson blood still dripping from his wrists, and gasped.

His head shot up until he was looking at Kurt with tears flooding his honey-hazel eyes.

"K-Kurt?" He squeaked, his voice several octaves higher than he could have ever have reached for if he tried. "I-I'm sorry."

Kurt nodded, the waves of emotion still rolling out of his body with each tear he shed.

"I know, B-Blaine." He cried. "I know."

He lifted his hand up slowly and pointed towards the silver blade, still held firmly in Blaine's trembling fingers.

"C-can I have that now?"

Blaine looked at the menacing object in his fingers as though he'd almost forgotten that it was there.

He nodded, and extended his hand towards Kurt, who quickly took the blade from Blaine's vibrating fingers and tossed it safely on the back of the sink.

This time, he seriously didn't want to ever see it again.

Kurt didn't want to let go of Blaine's hand, but he knew that he needed to step back and assess the damage.

"Let's get you cleaned up." He paused, contemplating his options. "D-Do you want to have a bath?"

Blaine shook his head.

He was still staring at the marks on his arms hypnotically, as though he couldn't remember how they even got there.

"Okay…ummm… we'll just use a cloth, okay?"

Blaine nodded sadly without looking up.

Kurt took in a deep breath and got started on his task.

He was thankful that most of the wounds that marred both of Blaine's forearms were superficial.

Nothing they'd need to get Carole to handle.

Kurt started with the fingers on Blaine's right hand, gently clutching them one by one in the warm, damp cloth, dissolving the blood as it disappeared into the fabric. First his pointer finger, then his middle… wiping them clean and scrubbing each nail with the most tender of touches.

"Can I have your other hand for a second? Can you reach over here, or will it make your shoulder hurt?"

Kurt wants every trace of the blood to be gone. He doesn't want to think about this much beauty and safety and honesty blemished by those stains.

Blaine took a deep breath, looking deep into Kurt's eyes, and saw that they were filled with honesty and trust.

He swallowed his fear and reached his left arm, the one with the most red lines on it, across and into Kurt's awaiting fingers.

Kurt knew instantly that it was more than just Blaine's arm he'd received in his hands.

He'd seen the hesitation in Blaine's eyes just before his arm moved across his body.

Kurt knew something important was happening right then, for Blaine just as much as for himself.

"I'll take care of you, Blaine." He whispered, working diligently to wipe away the crimson stains. "I'll be here to put you back together. This is what we'll do. You can give me your hand and I can show you…"

Kurt lifted up Blaine's left hand, now completely free from any sign of blood.

"…how beautiful you are."

Blaine sucked in a surprised breath as Kurt gently kissed the back of Blaine's knuckles.

Kurt smiled.

He could feel the tension melt off the boy's shoulders almost immediately, as he carried on with his duties.

Once he was finished with Blaine's hands, Kurt moved upwards towards his wrists and forearms.

He was able to gently wipe away the now dried blood with the warm cloth, using short, delicate touches until all that was left were the angry, red lines.

Kurt then dug through the drawers of the vanity until he found some antiseptic ointment and opened the cap with a soft 'pop'.

"This might sting a little bit, okay?"

Blaine gulped, but nodded as he sat on the cool porcelain of the edge of the tub.

Kurt applied a thick layer of the cooling ointment and was not surprised when Blaine emitted nothing more than a quiet hiss.

He wrapped the wounds on both of Blaine's wrists with a roll of gauze and secured them with several pieces of white medical tape.

Then he pressed a gentle kiss onto the inside of each wrist.

When he was finished, he helped Blaine back into his sling, sat him down on the closed seat of the toilet wrapped up in his wolf blanket with Thumpy tucked under his arm, and wiped away the blood that had spilled onto the counter and floor.

Then, he reached behind the faucet and picked up the blade. There were still streaks of blood on it.

_Blaine's blood._

He wrapped the blade in toilet paper and threw it into the trash bin with a relieved sigh.

He'd have to remember to take it out as soon as he felt comfortable stepping that far away from Blaine, which, after tonight, might be never.

Blaine watched this all play out and tried several times to speak out.

He knew what Kurt was thinking, and he wanted desperately to tell him.

To _correct_ him...

But he couldn't find the right words.

He decided to stay quiet and watch sadly as Kurt finished tidying the bathroom.

When the bathroom was finally returned to its original state, Kurt helped Blaine back into his bedroom and the pair of boys sat quietly on the edge of Blaine's bed.

Both had millions of words galloping through their minds, but neither of them could string together the right sentences in their minds.

Neither of them wanted to say the wrong thing.

Finally, unexpectedly, it was Blaine who broke the silence.

"I-I wasn't going to hurt myself."

Kurt's head shot up.

Tears began to fall from Blaine's eyes as he tried desperately to maintain eye contact with his best friend.

"I-I didn't want to… _do_ _that_."

Kurt was immediately relieved at Blaine's admission, but also acutely confused.

He couldn't help but allow his eyes to fall to the white bandages adorning Blaine's wrists.

Blaine's eyes followed his gaze.

_Oh._

_He'd forgotten about that._

_How was he going to explain…?_

He turned his tender wrists over and saw the slightest remnants of dried blood crusted underneath his fingernails.

"I-I scratched them." He stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think."

He's not sure what else he could possibly say.

How was he supposed to explain something he didn't fully understand?

He didn't know where he 'went' when he blacked out, all he knew was that it was cold and dark there.

And that Kurt wasn't there.

"I-It was an accident." He looked down at the white gauze on his wrists. "I-I didn't mean to do it."

"Sweetheart, look at me." Kurt whispered as he saw the shame begin to cloud Blaine's eyes. "Don't look at those."

Blaine gulped, but managed to raise his head until his eyes were once again locked into the shining glasz ones in front of him.

"Just because I know, doesn't mean that I'm angry with you, or disappointed." He took another deep breath before placing his hand on Blaine's knee and continuing. "I want you to know that I… that I _care_ about you and I just want to help you stop the pain."

A lone tear slipped down Kurt's cheek as he stared deep into Blaine's eyes.

"Will you let me help you?"

Blaine nodded.

"Can you tell me…?" Kurt started, choosing his words carefully. "Can you tell me… what you wanted to do? With the razor?"

There was a hesitant pause.

"Cut it out." Blaine's voice sounded distant.

Kurt's eyes widened at Blaine's choice of words.

_What did he mean?_

"I don't want him here."

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed as he looked around at the empty bedroom.

"Who, Blaine?" He asked. "Who don't you want here?"

Blaine remained silent.

Kurt didn't know what to do, so he too stayed mute.

Finally, minutes later, Blaine looked up at Kurt once again and sighed.

"I don't… I don't want to be him anymore." Blaine gestured towards the mirror on the dresser behind Kurt.

Now Kurt was completely thrown.

He pressed his hands around Blaine's and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but I don't understand what you mean."

Blaine sighed, almost frustrated with his inability to explain himself.

"I don't want to be scared anymore."

Kurt nodded. "Okay…"

"I don't want to hide… anymore."

If he's being honest, Kurt really has no idea what Blaine is saying, but it sounds like progress.

"It's going to be okay Blaine. You don't have to hide anymore, and you can be who ever you choose to be. You're safe now. You get to decide what happens from now on, okay?"

Blaine took a few extra seconds for Kurt's words to sink in before he nodded silently.

There was a long silence before Blaine spoke again.

"I… I need to cut…"

Blaine stopped himself.

_Those were not the right words…_

He swallowed and tried to start over, not noticing the flash of fear that had crossed Kurt's face at his chosen words.

"He… He… liked to pull my hair."

Blaine's heart sunk in his chest as the memories flooded him. It suddenly felt like he was drowning as he recalled that horrible, horrible night.

"I-I don't want to feel that anymore."

Kurt's heart shattered as the pieces of the puzzle finally slipped into place.

It all made sense.

Blaine hadn't been cutting his wrists with the razor. The marks were from his fingernails…

He pulled the boy into a hug without even thinking.

It was an emotional embrace filled with relief, consolation, and understanding.

And it lasted forever.

Finally, when Kurt eventually pulled away, he brought his thumb up and wiped away a single tear from below Blaine's right eye.

"Blaine…?" He asked hesitantly. "Would you like me to cut your hair?

Blaine couldn't believe what Kurt was offering.

It was as though he knew exactly what he needed, even though he wasn't able to formulate the appropriate words to ask it himself.

"Carole has a kit with the right… _scissors_… in it." Kurt explained. "She used to cut Finn's hair at home until the guys found out and started teasing him about it at school." Kurt smiled, remembering the story that his future stepmother had told once over dinner.

It seemed like forever ago.

"We wouldn't have to use the bowl, either. I'd just trim as much as would make you feel better."

Blaine gulped.

That was exactly what he wanted.

He thought about the razor blade that he'd found in the bathroom vanity.

He remembered how much he'd wanted to take it and just get rid of all his stupid curls.

All he knew at that moment was that he wanted his hair gone.

All of it.

And here was Kurt… like always… offering him that opportunity.

So he nodded.

Blaine took a deep breath as he stared at his toes, before he finally lifted his head and looked deep into Kurt's hopeful eyes.

"Kurt…W-will you please cut my hair?"

Kurt heart soared and his face split into the widest of all grins.

Even with all the horrible, awful and terrible things that had happened in the past 24 hours…

They'd come out on top.

_Blaine trusted him again._

* * *

**~ Thanks for reading and reviewing. Your words inspire mine. ~**


	33. There You Are

**Author's Note:**

**I've done this chapter a little bit differently... It's such a hugely important part of Blaine's story, that I thought it warranted it's own spotlight and it's very own title, hence it not following the lyrics of the song. I had a good friend of mine, Alix, co-write this one with me and I'd like to send her a big THANK YOU for her support and guidance. **

**This is it, my beautiful readers... the true beginning of Blaine's healing...**

**ENJOY**

**XOXOXO**

**- Ryleigh**

* * *

**There You Are, I've Been Looking For You Forever**

As Kurt re-entered the bedroom, he felt a flutter in his chest when he saw Blaine seated at the desk, scribbling in his journal. His heart warmed and a smile appeared on his face when he heard the faint notes of soft music echoing from the speakers of a CD player on the bookshelf next to where Blaine sat.

_He's writing again._

_And he's listening to my CD._

Kurt stood silently in the doorway for several seconds, simply staring at the back of the boy hunched over the desk.

He heard Blaine release a heavy sigh as he gently recapped the black pen he'd been writing with and flipped closed the cover of his journal before binding it securely with the long thin strip of smooth brown leather.

He didn't want to startle Blaine, but at the same time, he didn't want it to appear as though he'd been creepily staring at him either, so Kurt elected to step back out of the room and return seconds later.

This time when he entered, Kurt noticed that Blaine had spun around in the desk chair and was now facing the doorway.

"I'm back." Kurt said with a soft smile. "And I've got everything we'll need."

He entered the room quietly, his arms full of the supplies that he'd gathered for Blaine's haircut.

Ideally, they wouldn't be completing such a task in a carpeted bedroom with minimal light, but since it was just past three in the morning, Kurt had concluded that a select few items from the kitchen would make it a little easier to deal with.

Blaine's shoulders instantly relaxed as Kurt's presence filled the room once again.

Without a word, he looked up at the taller teen, only noticing for the first time that Kurt's arms were filled with an assortment of… _stuff_.

Blaine's head cocked to the side curiously and he did a visual inventory of Kurt's gathered materials as the older teen unceremoniously dumped the armload onto the bed.

Towels.

A spray bottle.

An apron.

And a bright yellow tablecloth.

_Is he cutting my hair or hosting a BBQ?_

He couldn't contain his puzzlement as he watched Kurt unfold the tablecloth and lay it methodically over the carpet in the middle of the bedroom.

"We don't want to get hair clippings on the carpet." Kurt explained without looking up. It was as though he'd read Blaine's mind and answered the boy's unasked question without even thinking about it.

Blaine shrugged indistinctly.

_Makes sense, I suppose._

"Do you mind rolling your desk chair over here?" Kurt asked nonchalantly. "It will work perfectly as a salon chair."

The dark bushy eyebrows on Blaine's forehead knitted instantaneously.

_Salon chair?_

Kurt didn't miss the hesitation.

"It's time for you hair appointment, Blaine!" Kurt said with an exaggerated grin. "You didn't think I was going to just snip your beautiful curls off into the trashcan, did you?"

Kurt paused after the words had slipped out of his mouth, and his toothless grin faltered slightly.

'_Beautiful'_ may have been too much.

If his hair was what was tethering Blaine to his nightmares... he'd have to tread carefully.

But if he was being honest, Kurt couldn't help himself; He'd been finding it harder and harder to refrain from calling Blaine 'beautiful' every time he spoke.

Across the room, Blaine didn't know what to think.

He was hesitant to feel… _enthusiastic_ about his impending haircut, but something about the grin that Kurt had flashed him seconds ago reminded him of something he hadn't seen or felt… in a long, _long_ time.

It was like staring at the sun after days and days of rain.

"O-Okay." Blaine stuttered slightly before slowly wheeling the chair towards the middle of the room and directly to the center of the tablecloth. "Is… is this okay?"

"Perfect." Kurt said cheerfully, looking up with a smile. He indicated to Blaine that he would like him to take a seat, and when the shorter boy had tentatively done so, Kurt spun the desk chair around until they were once again face-to-face.

The swivel chair was a perfect prop for Kurt's charade.

"Welcome to the Hummel Salon, Mr. Anderson." Kurt stood up straight and spoke in an elegant, almost over-the-top professional tone. "Perhaps it's not the business my dad always dreamed would be attached to his name, but alas… here we are."

A short, amused breath came from Blaine at Kurt's improvised introduction; not a snort, and not quite a giggle, but Kurt noticed that it was definitely laced with a touch of enjoyment.

He grinned and pulled another item from his pile on the bed.

The apron.

Before Blaine could even question it, Kurt had whisked the fabric over his chest.

This time, the shorter teen couldn't help but giggle as he looked down.

The apron had to be Carole's; it was bright pink and had a huge cartoon chicken on it.

Kurt's heart swelled at the sound.

_There he is._

_There's the Blaine I've been looking for. _

He was careful not to tie or wind the apron strings around Blaine's chest and neck.

Instead, Kurt chose to let the fabric drape softly, just enough to protect the teen from the locks of itchy hair that would soon be falling.

Blaine glanced down at Kurt's long, gentle fingers as they arranged the fabric gently over his chest.

They didn't grab at him.

No… they were going to _free_ him.

They were going to cut away the ties that he still felt when he woke up every morning; the way his neck shrunk in and his ears and jaw clenched as he waited for the inevitable yank that always came.

Blaine's heart warmed slightly when he realized that that yank might not ever come again.

After the apron was properly positioned over Blaine's chest, Kurt turned the chair just slightly to the right until Blaine was looking into the mirror on the top of the dresser.

Any development of hope that had grown in Kurt's heart wilted away when he saw Blaine flinch and immediately turn his eyes away from his own reflection.

"Blaine?" Kurt knelt down next to the desk chair and whispered, breaking character for the first time. He thought he'd play a role, attempting to put Blaine at ease, but he knew he needed the teen to know it was really himself kneeling next to him.

"K-Kurt... I can't... "

Kurt's heart shattered at the desolation etched into Blaine's words.

"Blaine, honey…" He started slowly, drawing Blaine's chin up with the edge of his finger carefully until their eyes met. "You don't have to look in the mirror if you don't want to, but… you shouldn't be afraid… or sad. You are _beautiful_ exactly like this." He ran his other hand gently through the back of the younger teen's messy curls.

"N-n-no… I'm not K-Kurt..." Blaine's face turned away from Kurt's once again and he looked even more ashamed.

"Yeah… you are." He reassured. "You don't need a haircut to be beautiful, Blaine. You just need it to feel safe."

Blaine sucked in a surprised breath, but kept his eyes intentionally averted.

_How does he always know…?_

"And when we're done, you're going to be beautiful AND you're going to feel safe." Kurt continued optimistically. "But if, while we're doing this, you start to feel scared or anything, I need you to tell me and I will stop immediately, I promise. You're in charge here…okay?"

Blaine closed his eyes and sighed.

As he pulled in another lungful of air, Kurt's vanilla and cinnamon scent, so strong at his neck, invaded his senses.

It reminded him of something.

He couldn't quite remember specific details, but it felt as though Kurt had done this once before for him.

Blaine drew in another deep breath and risked a glance up into the mirror to see a version of himself sitting in the chair next to Kurt.

From inside the mirror, Kurt's glasz eyes were staring back at his own, and were filled with concern and… _love_.

"D-did we... have we done this… b-before?"

A sharp gasp filled the silence as Kurt recalled the image of Blaine's outstretched neck that day in the hospital. He could still feel the plastic razor in his hand and recalled the way he'd held Blaine with his eyes.

He'd never forget it.

Before Blaine had any reason to trust him, he'd tilted his head back and taken a deep breath.

Kurt couldn't be sure of what Blaine did and didn't remember from those days of medicinal haze and fear; the teen had barely known what was going on in front of him, but he obviously remembered the trust he'd given Kurt.

"Something like this, yeah." Kurt confirmed warily. "You... you let me shave your face for you in the hospital. I was so proud of you, Blaine." Kurt held his eyes in the mirror for several seconds, trying desperately to enforce that he still was, and always would be proud of the boy in the swivel chair.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the scent of shaving cream, minty and sharp, assaulted Blaine's memory.

"You... you were n-next to me." Blaine's face fell into a contemplative frown as he reached back into his memory bank.

"Yeah, Blaine. I was." Kurt remembered the way his fingers had trembled, for just a second, before he'd lifted the razor. The fear that he wouldn't be safe enough, gentle enough, and that he'd hurt this beautiful boy even worse than the world already had.

Blaine's face dropped and he looked down to his lap.

"…didn't talk."

It was barely a whisper.

"You were having trouble with your words." Kurt confirmed, placing his hand gently on Blaine's knee. "But even then, you were the bravest person I'd ever met."

This time it was Blaine who gasped.

His chin shot back up and he glanced at the Kurt in the mirror next to him with a look of shame mixed with sorrow and guilt.

"You had to... t-take me to the... the _bathroom_." Blaine whispered the last word, almost inaudible, so ashamed at the sudden memory of Kurt standing next to him on the tile.

Tears sprung to his eyes.

Kurt gently reached his hand up to Blaine's cheek. It was a risk, but one he had to take. He needed to try and get Blaine to see what he saw.

Blaine felt Kurt gently lift his chin up until he could see Kurt's wide, blue beacons shining for him from inside the glass, and he focused on their light.

_Like a lighthouse, guiding him home._

"And _you_ let me." Kurt answered, never breaking his stare with the younger boy in the mirror. "_You_ kept taking every step you possibly could, in my arms. _You_ let me hold you through your nightmares in that hospital bed. _You_ wrote in your journal and listened to music and Blaine… _you_ came home with me. I'm so proud of you every second of every single day."

Blaine didn't have a clue what to say to that.

Tears began falling down his cheeks, making it more and more difficult to focus on Kurt's reflection in the mirror.

Kurt looked up at Blaine from where he was still kneeling next to the chair.

"I will _never_ stop being proud of you, Blaine." He whispered, and floods of emotion caused tiny breaks to stutter his voice when he added. "E-Ever."

Blaine nodded, through the hazy tears still sliding down his face.

"Even if you have to tell me to stop; that it's too much, and you decide that you don't want to do this… _Nothing_ you say will convince me that you are anything less than beautiful and brave."

Blaine remained silent, as he looked at the gorgeous boy crouched next to the stranger in the mirror.

It's all he's ever wanted - to be brave.

Brave for his Kurt.

_I can do this._

He felt Kurt's delicate fingers lace together with his own and he gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I-I'm ready." Blaine whispered. His voice wavered slightly, but his eyes didn't leave the sparkling blue ones staring back at him from the mirror for even a fraction of a second.

Kurt released a heavy sigh of relief and got back up to his feet so he was standing behind the Blaine in the mirror. He reached over to the bed and picked up a lime green spray bottle.

"This is the spray bottle my dad uses when he's cooking on the barbeque." Kurt explained with a smirk. Then he leaned closer and winked at the boy in the mirror.

"He tends to cook things of the… _well done_ variety."

The tension flooded out of Blaine at Kurt's well-timed humor. He let out an amused huff and looked at the version of Kurt in the mirror incredulously.

"Ha!" Kurt mocked. "You laugh… but you just wait… half the time, there's flames shooting out the ends of the barbeque and this spray bottle doesn't even cut it!"

Blaine snorted.

The boys continued to look at each other in the mirror for several seconds before they both broke into a fit of giggles.

"Should we get started now?" Kurt chuckled after they'd both regained their composure several minutes later. "It's almost four in the morning."

Blaine, still trying to hide a smile, nodded at the taller teen in the mirror, and Kurt begun spritzing water onto Blaine's curls with a look of thoughtfulness and concentration.

When he was satisfied that Blaine's hair was damp enough to work with, Kurt turned and picked up Carole's silver hair trimming scissors from a navy blue zippered pouch on the bed before looking back at the boy in the mirror.

"Are you ready?"

Blaine's smile faltered slightly as he was reminded of the approaching situation.

_I can do this._

_For Kurt._

_I can be brave._

He looked deep into the wide blue orbs in the mirror and nodded with a hesitant gulp.

"Great." Kurt said, his voice immediately returning to the professional tone he'd begun with. "Now, let's say… an inch and a half off, all the way around?"

Blaine nodded again, thankful for Kurt's obvious charade to lessen the tension.

While still holding his gaze in the mirror, Kurt rested the hand not holding the scissors on Blaine's left shoulder.

"I'm going to touch your hair, but I'm not going to pull it, I promise." He explained calmly, once again breaking character. "You'll hear the scissors snip, and then the hair will fall onto this goofy chicken here, or onto the tablecloth. And then... well, then I guess you'll feel a little bit lighter."

Blaine sighed and slacked the tense grip his fingers had inadvertently taken on his pajama pants.

_I already feel a little bit lighter. _

Kurt nodded before easing the hand from Blaine's shoulder into the mass of dampened, dark curls.

He knew exactly what he was holding, and it wasn't just a fistful of hair.

He could feel Blaine tense the moment his fingers found a tangled curl and met some resistance.

"It's Kurt." The older boy reminded the one in the mirror as he promptly pulled his hand out of Blaine's hair. "It's just me. I'm going to cut your hair, and you're going to feel so much better... okay?"

Blaine took a deep breath, relaxed his shoulders and nodded once more.

Once Kurt had received permission to continue, he allowed his fingers to get to work immediately.

With the first '_snik'_ of the shears, he felt Blaine's entire body exhale.

Reassured that he was on the right track, Kurt continued.

With each skillfully trimmed lock of hair that slipped down the pink chicken apron and landed on the tablecloth, an additional thousand pounds of emotion drained from Blaine's exhausted frame.

_Stress._

_Fear._

_Pain._

_Humiliation. _

_Grief._

_Sorrow._

_Anxiety._

_Guilt._

Blaine could feel himself growing lighter and lighter with each of Kurt's careful movements.

He continued to watch his very own transformation in the mirror in front of him until the long curls hanging down in front of his hazel eyes were suddenly gone.

His breath caught as he stared at himself in the mirror.

The stranger had disappeared.

Snipped away, and discarded onto the floor, along with a growing pile of dark curls that contrasted brilliantly against the bright yellow tablecloth.

Blaine sighed and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

It was like he could finally see himself for the first time.

Kurt immediately picked up on Blaine's revelation and squeezed his uninjured shoulder lightly.

They stared at each other in the mirror for several minutes, passing hours and hours of silent conversation between them without a single word being spoken.

_I'm back._

_You're home._

It was an emotional release for both boys.

So much more than just a haircut.

Finally, after several minutes, Kurt straightened his posture, wiped away the tears from his own cheeks and cleared his throat.

"Now, I've perused the last few months of men's fashion magazines, and I'm pretty sure I can do something both stylish and lightweight."

Professional Kurt was back again.

"Do you have any preconceptions regarding sideburns?"

Blaine felt a laugh starting inside as he watched the teen in the mirror continue working meticulously to trim his curls to a manageable length.

It had been so long since he'd laughed... but it was just like Kurt to decide that he could cut hair like a professional after looking at a couple of pictures.

But that's who Kurt Hummel was.

He'd given himself a scene and he was determined to act it out.

And Blaine loved every minute of it.

So he let down all the barriers he'd worked so hard to put up and he laughed.

It was a rumbling laugh, from deep down inside.

A place he'd almost forgotten had even existed.

"N-No." The younger teen got out between giggles, his right hand over his mouth. "N-no I don't."

Kurt grinned back and winked at the reflection of the handsome boy in front of him, fully back in his starring role as Blaine's stylist. "Then we'll just play it by ear, hmmm?"

He punctuated his question with a loud smack of a kiss right above Blaine's right ear.

* * *

Kurt jolted awake the following morning as minute tremors gently vibrated the bed.

He blinked his sleep-filled eyes open, desperate to see through the haze, only to have them settle on a disturbing scene next to him.

Blaine was crying.

Sobbing so hard that his entire body was quaking.

Kurt could tell that Blaine was trying desperately to mute himself, to hide his emotional release and he felt his heart break for the boy lying beside him.

All he wanted was for Blaine to trust him, to feel comfortable waking him up and asking for help when he felt sad.

Or afraid.

Or... _anything_, really.

Kurt desperately wanted to reach out and hold the smaller teen in his arms, but he realized that Blaine was so determined to keep his tears hidden that he'd turned away from Kurt, onto his left side.

Meaning he was lying on his injured shoulder.

It also meant, and the thought sickened Kurt, that Blaine was trying so hard to hide, that he was willing to lay with his back to him.

Something Kurt knew damn well that Blaine was uncomfortable with.

He knew that Blaine was normally terrified to sleep with his back to anyone, Kurt included.

Blaine's broken words echoed in his brain from the number of times he'd heard them uttered in devastated sobs.

'_I-I need to see t-that it's you.'_

Kurt sucked in a breath as he recalled the pure fear in Blaine's fragmented words.

Touching the delicate boy at this point, from this position, was not even an option.

Kurt drew in a deep breath, trying to suck in as much courage as he possibly could.

"Blaine?" He whispered through the soft light of the early morning.

The boy next to him immediately tensed and Kurt could feel Blaine's body remain rigid.

Again, he had to consciously hold his hands back from reaching out to touch him.

Blaine had stopped breathing.

No sobs.

No tears.

No cries.

Kurt sighed.

_He's trying so hard._

Kurt was certain that Blaine was trying to pretend to be asleep.

He knew the teen would be filled with guilt.

He would be feeling remorseful for waking Kurt up; because that's just who Blaine is.

"A-are you okay?" Kurt's voice cracked, and he cursed his inability to be brave and strong.

Like Blaine.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Blaine rolled himself over until he was back laying on his right side.

Literally, his right side.

It's the side he's meant to lay on.

It's the side that allows Kurt to see his gorgeous hazel eyes once again.

It's the side that brings them together.

Kurt could see now that Blaine's golden eyes were not red and puffy from intense, gut-wrenching cries, but rather clear and… _content_?

Blaine's face did not look scared, or anxious or even sad, as Kurt had come to recognize to be the norm after the worst of his vivid nightmares.

Blaine's face was... relaxed, relieved and revitalized somehow.

Kurt deemed it safe to reach towards the other boy now that they are facing each other once again. He extended his arm forward until the back of his finger was close enough to wipe away the tears from Blaine's face.

The boy didn't cower away in fear.

He didn't flinch, gasp or flee...

No… instead… he smiled.

It was soft and subtle; barely there, but Kurt knew it was definitely a smile.

"Are you crying because you had a nightmare?" Kurt's voice is soft, caring and barely above a whisper.

His fingers crept upwards and brushed gingerly through Blaine's new, neatly trimmed curls.

He noticed Blaine's throat spasm as he gulped, and watched his prominent Adam's apple bob as he prepared to speak.

"N-no." Blaine's voice was deep and harsh, so he took a fraction of a second to clear away the emotion that was constricting his throat before he continued.

"Kurt… I'm crying because_ I_ _didn't_."


	34. A Note from Ryleigh

**Author's Note:**

First of all, let me start by saying:

**THIS STORY HAS NOT BEEN NOR WILL IT EVER BE ABANDONED.**

Secondly… let me just explain…

I've been going through some very personal and emotional stuff lately. I'm not going to get into it because… well… honestly… I'm not the type of person that likes to broadcast their issues for the world to see and beg for pity.

All I mean to say is… please… just… give me some time. You have all been so patient and understanding thus far and that means to the world to me.

This project... is more than just a story to me. It's not just words on a page… it's so much more in depth than that.

It's… personal.

The support from you guys for this project has been nothing short of overwhelming.

When I first started writing… I never DREAMED it would turn into this… much. At that point… I never even realized that so much of '_me'_ would seep onto the pages.

You've sent me messages of encouragement and reviewed my chapters… and… that means more to me than I could have ever imagined. You have become like a family to me. It's beautiful, and it gives me strength.

**You have all given me ~ COURAGE~**

The reason I have been delaying the next chapter is because I've already plotted out the rest of the story and I'm afraid that my recent 'tone' will merge its way onto the pages. Our little Blaine is finally healing… after everything, he's finally on his way back and I can't let my negativity trickle into the story.

So please… please be patient… I promise I'm not giving up on Underneath, so please don't give up on me.

I love you all,

XOXOXO

Ryleigh


	35. I Don't Want To Hide - Part V

**Author's Note:**

**I just realized that yesterday was my 1-year anniversary since I posted the very first chapter of 'Underneath'. WOW! That's unbelievable. What a year it has been!**

_**Firstly (to get this out of the way)… to the troll who left such a disrespectful comment on my last chapter - No one is forcing you to read this. If you "hate" it so much, why are you still reading it? If you are too ignorant to see that this story is about a relationship with more depth than just sex and make out scenes, I think you'd better find something else to read. If you're looking for Klaine smut – go find Klaine smut. You're not going to find it here. **_

**Now… onto the IMPORTANT stuff…**

**Thank you all so much for your patience and for the amazing response from the last chapter – Blaine's Haircut. I received so many positive reviews. **

**And THANK YOU for not giving up on me. I know I haven't been updating nearly as regularly as I should… but… life is getting in the way. I appreciate your support and the messages of encouragement from you left me speechless. **

**You guys… just… inspire me. **

**It's been a tough few months, but the support from each and every one of you has been overwhelming.**

**THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME.**

**XOXO**

**Love, **

**Ryleigh**

* * *

***** TRIGGER WARNING *****

*****Mentions of suicidal thoughts and depictions of self harm*****

**This chapter may also contain depictions of violence, coarse language and graphic non-consensual sexual acts.**

**~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~**

**Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…**

* * *

Chapter 27 Part Five

Blaine was burrowed into the cushions of the couch, lying on his right side with his knees drawn up into his chest and his head nestled into Kurt's lap.

The stuffed rabbit '_Thumpy'_ was tucked underneath Blaine's left arm; snuggled between the sling on his shoulder and his own tiny body. The fingers of his left hand were entwined with Kurt's at chest level, and his heavy blue wolf blanket was draped over the pair of them securely.

They were both sound asleep.

The TV was on in the corner next to the Christmas tree; the animated sounds of a Disney movie long forgotten buzzing in the background, as the boys continued to snore peacefully.

Burt couldn't contain the sigh or the soft smile that graced his face when he came upon the scene.

It had been a long, sleepless night.

He and Carole had heard the boys up several times before the pair of teens had closed themselves into the bathroom for what seemed like eternity.

Soft whispers and cries, followed eventually by louder, more terrified, words echoed through the sleepless Hummel residence.

Followed by an eerie silence.

Burt had darted out of bed several times; desperate to seek the boys out and offer his assistance, but Carole had politely taken his hand and guided him back into bed, insisting how important it was to let the boys work things out themselves.

She knew Kurt.

She trusted him.

And she was certain that he would call for them if it were warranted.

Carole believed with her entire core that the two teens needed a chance to talk things out.

Eventually, the echoing sounds through the thin walls informed them that Kurt and Blaine had moved back into Blaine's bedroom.

They heard muffled conversation, followed by what sounded like someone digging through the cupboards in the kitchen.

Burt had shot Carole a look of utter perplexity when the sound of furniture moving in Blaine's room echoed throughout the home some time after that, but at three in the morning, neither of them were going to question it.

Burt sighed, bringing him back to the present, as he sat down in his armchair with a tired groan.

_If Kurt redecorating the house in the wee hours of the morning is going to get that kid feeling better… by all means…_

He looked back over to the pair of teens snuggling on the couch and his heart ached when, for the first time, he noticed that the sleeves of Blaine's pajamas had ridden up, revealing the white gauze wrapped around both of his wrists.

He never thought the boy would be a risk for self-harm.

_But really… why wouldn't he be? After all he'd been through?_

Burt sighed again, and rubbed his fingers over his throbbing temples.

_Something happened last night. Something big._

Burt and Carole both agreed to let Kurt stay home from school. When the boys had stumbled out to the kitchen for breakfast, it was obvious that they'd been up for most of the night. Burt informed them that he'd called the school and left a message that Kurt would be absent and for his teachers to send his homework home with Finn.

The relief on both boys' faces had been… _haunting_.

Kurt and Blaine had each picked at a few bites of toast before retiring to the living room, blanket and Thumpy in hand, to snuggle together on the couch.

Burt wasn't surprised to find that the boys had barely started their movie before they'd fallen asleep. Carole had checked in on them before she'd left for work and made sure Kurt had a pillow behind his neck so he didn't wake up in pain.

As Burt relaxed into his chair, his eyes came to rest on the TV where a cartoon weasel-y looking critter danced with a warthog through a rainforest, singing a brightly colored tune before he heard Blaine suddenly let out a heavy sigh and the tiniest of frowns appeared on the boy's face. However, within seconds, and without either of them truly awakening, Kurt's fingers appeared on Blaine's forehead, softly caressing the folds of taut olive skin until Blaine had visibly relaxed into Kurt's body once again.

Burt watched in awe as the two boys' breathing returned to a normal, rhythmic pattern of synchronicity, and Kurt's fingers subconsciously moved up to the top of Blaine's head and began twisting gently through his new, baby soft curls.

The locks of dark hair were just long enough now that they didn't spring back underneath Kurt's fingers; hang down in Blaine's face or over his ears.

For the first time in a long time, Burt could see… _Blaine_.

Actually… _see_ him.

Even with the dark circles under Blaine's eyes, the faded bruises, and the frightening hollowness of his cheeks, Burt was reassured that the dapper young man he'd met that first day was still in there… _somewhere_.

Burt also noticed that Kurt had helped Blaine shave again.

The soft, smooth skin on the boy's face made him look young… _impossibly_ _young_.

His physical appearance, combined with his curled-up position on the couch with the plush rabbit tucked under his arm, made Blaine look like an innocent child.

It took Burt a second to remember that Blaine _should_ look like an innocent child, because he _was_ one.

Or… at least he was _supposed_ to be.

* * *

_Soft._

_Warm._

_Safe._

_Vanilla._

Blaine stirred awake gently as his senses alerted him to unfamiliar surroundings once again.

With a heavy sigh, he managed to pry open his left eye, just enough to take in the sights of the room.

_Christmas. Everywhere._

A feeling of warmth flooded Blaine's chest as the pieces slowly slipped into place once again.

_Hudmels._

_Home._

He drew in a long, contented sigh and squeezed his arm around the softness of the stuffed rabbit as he settled back into the soft cushions of the…

Blaine sucked in a surprised breath and his eyes shot open once again.

_Cushions don't breathe._

A fluttery, almost unfamiliar feeling encircled Blaine's heart when he remembered that when he'd positioned himself on the couch, he hadn't been alone.

_Kurt._

_My Kurt._

Blaine couldn't help the soft, innocent smile that graced his lips as he closed his eyes once again, snuggled back into Kurt's lap and fell back asleep instantly.

* * *

It was an hour or so later when Blaine woke up a second time.

It didn't take as long for him to remember where he was this time.

He could feel Kurt's warm, solid body resting behind him, and judging by the deep, rhythmic breaths the boy was taking, it was apparent that Kurt was still sleeping soundly.

Blaine sighed softly, shifting only enough to alleviate the numbness that had set into his right side from being still for so long. He didn't want to risk a significant move that might wake up Kurt.

He smiled dozily.

_Kurt_.

He knew he shouldn't be smiling.

Not after everything that had happened.

He should be sad.

Ashamed.

Terrified.

But he couldn't help it.

Kurt made him _want_ to smile.

Images of the previous evening flashed through Blaine's mind as he drifted peacefully on the couch.

_Kurt helping to clean up the scratches on his wrists._

_Soft reassurances and gentle touches. _

_The haircut._

Would Kurt even realize how big of a step that had been?

Cutting his hair hadn't just been an external fix.

Blaine could still recall the heaviness that fell from his shoulders with each and every curl that hit the floor.

He was lighter.

Safer.

Happier.

He was… _home_.

Kurt gave him all of that.

This boy… who had no reason to care for him - no reason to even give him the time of day…

He'd saved his life.

Blaine couldn't help it this time; he turned slowly until he was able to crane his neck to the side just enough so he could see the beautiful boy resting above him.

Kurt's eyes were closed and his head was leaned back against a pillow on the top of the couch, presenting the flawless porcelain skin on his neck that Blaine longed to reach out and touch.

He'd never seen such beauty.

With every inhalation, Blaine watched closely as Kurt's chest rose slowly until he puffed out each breath with a near silent snore.

He allowed his eyes to wander, gracing every inch of Kurt's unspoiled perfection, until they came to rest on the teen's face and he sucked in a tiny, surprised breath.

_He has freckles. _

Blaine couldn't contain his grin as he counted each one of the tiny, almost invisible flecks that dotted Kurt's nose and cheeks.

Thirty-six.

Kurt had thirty-six freckles.

Blaine struggled to contain a giggle that he could feel bubbling inside of him.

So he counted the freckles again.

And again.

Then he counted the golden brown eyelashes that were splayed out on Kurt's freckled cheeks.

Blaine was just about to start counting Kurt's soft snores when a throat cleared behind him, breaking his trance.

He startled slightly, feeling as though he'd just been caught staring at Kurt.

Which…. wasn't _exactly_ untrue.

"Hey buddy."

Blaine slowly turned his body back around until he could see the person that the hushed voice belonged to.

Burt Hummel was sitting in his recliner with a newspaper in his hand and a wide grin on his face.

He must have read Blaine's uncertainty, because his smile faltered just slightly as he set down the paper.

"It's just me bud, you're alright."

Blaine caught his breath, understanding that he didn't appear to be… _in trouble,_ but he couldn't help the blush that crept up his cheeks as he nodded slowly.

"I saw that you were awake." Burt explained warily. "I was just gonna go make some lunch. Wanna give me a hand?"

Blaine hesitated.

He turned his head back slightly and looked at Kurt, who remained snoring peacefully behind him.

When Blaine's eyes returned to meet Burt's he didn't need to speak a word, Burt understood exactly what Blaine was trying to convey.

_He looks tired._

Burt turned his own head to take in the sight of his sleeping son on the couch behind the wide-eyed teen.

Blaine was right.

Kurt looked… _exhausted_.

The skin under his eyes was darker than Burt had ever seen it and his face looked thin, gaunt, and pale.

Paler than usual.

"He'll be okay." Burt reassured the curly-haired boy. "We'll let him sleep."

He watched as Blaine hesitated again.

The boy removed his hazel eyes from his own, until they rested back on Kurt's sleeping form again.

Burt sighed.

It was as though Blaine felt he had to choose.

As if… he still didn't realize that he was allowed to have both Burt and Kurt.

That neither of them were going anywhere.

"He'll be okay buddy." Burt whispered again. "I promise."

Blaine gulped, and he gently squeezed Kurt's hand before untangling their fingers.

Then he looked back over to where Burt remained sitting in his chair, and nodded.

He pulled back the heavy mink blanket, and climbed up off the couch, slowly as not to disrupt his sleeping soulmate.

Once he was finally standing next to the couch, Blaine turned around, looking thoughtful for a moment before he picked up the plush rabbit and gently tucked it into Kurt's lap, in the exact position that his own body had occupied only seconds before.

Kurt sighed slightly in his sleep and moved his arm down to capture the rabbit in a tight embrace.

Blaine tilted his head to the side and smiled softly before pulling the mink blanket up around Kurt's shoulders and tucking him in, allowing his fingers to linger for a few extra seconds on the exposed skin of Kurt's collarbones.

Blaine finally spun around and took a few steps away from the couch before turning to take one last glance at the sleeping boy before he followed a grinning Burt Hummel into the kitchen.

* * *

Kurt sighed dozily.

He was so comfortable.

He knew he shouldn't be comfortable. What with the awkward angle of his neck against the fluffy pillow he couldn't remember placing behind his head and the way he was slouched slightly against the back of the couch.

But he was.

He had Blaine laying in his lap.

_His_ Blaine.

His Blaine; who was safe and who had a great new haircut and a brand new lease on life.

Yes…Kurt Hummel was comfortable.

He dreamily allowed his arm to tighten around the tiny body of the boy on his lap. It worried him how thin Blaine was. Kurt sighed again as he stretched his arm almost all the way around Blaine's torso and ran his fingers through the impossibly soft fur on his…

_Wait, what…?_

_Fur?_

Kurt's eyes shot open and he darted upright, knocking the stuffed rabbit off his lap and sending it tumbling to the floor.

His heart rate quadrupled almost immediately when his brain registered what was missing.

_OhmygodwhereisBlaine_?

Kurt leapt up from the couch, but in his panic to stand up, his left ankle became tangled inside Blaine's wolf blanket and he too tumbled to the floor.

He grumbled to himself as he unwound the heavy fabric from his legs, having injured nothing more than his pride and finally stood up.

With the best bitchface he could muster, Kurt gave the blanket a swift, graceful kick, as if to say '_so there_' and turned his nose up to the wolves staring back at him mockingly.

But he didn't stick his tongue out at the inanimate object.

No… Kurt Hummel would _never_ do anything so… crass.

And he certainly didn't blow a raspberry with his tongue at the blanket either.

That would just be… _weird_.

After Kurt managed to compose himself, he walked slowly towards the kitchen.

He heard voices.

Well… _voice_.

It was his father.

It sounded like his dad was… _laughing_?

Kurt gulped as he tiptoed closer and closer towards the kitchen.

_Please let Blaine be okay. Please let Blaine be okay._

When he finally made it past the doorway into the tiny kitchen, Kurt came upon a scene that made his heart swell with warmth, pride, comfort and every other positive emotion known to mankind.

His father was standing next to the kitchen sink, up to his elbows in dishwater (with far too many bubbles to be appropriate) animatedly babbling on about some nonsensical sporting statistics.

But that wasn't what had caught Kurt's attention.

That wasn't what had him feeling wobbly in his knees and forced him to lean against the doorframe to prevent himself from sliding to the floor.

Blaine.

_His_ Blaine was wearing an apron.

It was an apron Kurt had never seen before, so he assumed it was another of Carole's from the back of the dishtowel drawer. It was black and white striped vertically with a lime green polka-dotted pocket, which rested directly over Blaine's right hip. The pocket was outlined with a thick, frilly white line of lace. As Kurt's eyes travelled upwards, he noticed that there was a matching lime green strip of fabric wrapped around Blaine's tiny waistline as well as a green strap that was wrapped loosely around the back of his neck.

The feature piece of the ensemble, however - the accessory that made Kurt grin so wide that his face hurt - was the large lime green polka dot bow that was fastened to the top of the apron, resting directly over Blaine's heart.

He was grinning.

Blaine was holding a silicone spatula in his hand and had the biggest grin on his face that Kurt had ever seen.

Kurt felt so… _comfortable_ that he would have loved to have stayed in that exact position, watching Blaine appear so… _carefree_ and… _happy_… for the rest of his life.

But at about that time, his father had turned to say something else to the small teenager and finally noticed Kurt's arrival.

"Hey buddy!" Burt exclaimed cheerfully over Blaine's left shoulder. "You're just in time for lunch!"

At his words, Blaine spun around to meet Kurt's gaze, still with the grin plastered on his face.

Kurt's eyes widened even more and his own lips formed a large, toothless smile.

"It smells great, Blaine! What did you make?" He asked candidly.

Kurt wasn't sure he expected Blaine to answer him directly, but when the smaller teen's smile faltered just slightly, his eyes darted off to the side, and his lips quivered, as though struggling to form the correct words, a twinge of guilt panged inside Kurt's chest.

Burt immediately sensed Blaine's hesitation to speak and stepped in, flapping his soap covered fingers in the air and sending a plethora of bubbles sailing across the kitchen.

"I don't know if you know this, but our friend Blaine here is a master chef!" Burt said with a proud smile.

Blaine's cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink.

"He whipped up an incredible batch of grilled cheese for us, Kurt!" Burt explained pointing towards the table to a huge stack of sandwiches piled high on a large red plate. "Don't they look great?"

Kurt's eyes darted from the mountain of sandwiches on the table to where Blaine remained standing next to the stove, spatula in hand, and ears as red as ever.

Kurt stuttered slightly, unable to force his own lips to form the words in his brain.

"T-They look delicious!" He said lamely, trying to keep a neutral look on his face but failing miserably.

He couldn't believe the difference in the Blaine from the night before and the Blaine standing only mere feet away from him right then.

It was as though the haircut had… lightened him… and brightened him.

Aside from the weight loss and the sling on his shoulder… he almost looked like the old Blaine again.

The two boys stared at each other hypnotically for several minutes before Burt cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded towards the stove.

"Uhhh… Blaine? I think your last sandwich is done."

Blaine's eyes widened and he sucked in a surprised breath. Kurt couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard a muffled '_shit'_ slip from between Blaine's lips as he spun around towards the stove once again to rescue his last sandwich.

* * *

"These really ARE delicious!" Kurt mumbled with his mouth full of sandwich. He usually found it completely inappropriate to speak with his mouth full of food, but at that exact moment, he simply couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, that made the grilled cheese taste so much better than he'd ever had before, but there was something about it… that made it so much more than plain old bread and plastic cheese.

Blaine grinned as he dipped his own sandwich into the pile of ketchup on his plate and brought it up to his mouth to take a bite.

If there was one thing he could cook, it was a '_grillder'_.

He'd coined the name 'grillder' for his favorite sandwich several years ago, when he found himself home alone more often than not, and was required to cook for himself.

It was easy enough.

Frying pan.

Bread.

Butter.

Cheese slice.

More bread.

More butter.

Instant success.

The hardest part was peeling the stupid plastic wrapper off the cheese. (Which, as he'd just found out was even harder to do with one arm in a sling.)

But today… today he'd mastered it. He'd produced a giant stack of sandwiches for their lunch. If Blaine was being honest, he'd cooked a few more than he thought was necessary but Mr. Hummel kept grinning and throwing him more bread so he'd kept right on cooking.

Blaine smiled again as he recalled the warmth that had flooded his chest as he and the Senior of the Hummel men had fussed around making lunch and tidying the kitchen. They likely used far too many dishes for what little they'd accomplished, but they'd certainly had… _fun_… making the mess.

_Fun_.

Until that moment, it had almost seemed liked a foreign concept to Blaine.

He grinned once more, and nibbled the last corner of his sandwich and glanced up once again to where Kurt was helping himself to his third sandwich. (Not that he was counting.)

_Kurt seems to be enjoying them, and Mr. Hummel must be on his sixth or seventh one at least, so they can't be that bad. _

Blaine felt a new sense of warmth in his chest.

_Pride_.

He tried to curb the smile that pulled at the corners of his lips.

He certainly didn't want to look like a grinning idiot, but… it felt so… good.

Blaine bit his bottom lip for just a second, running a multitude of scenarios through his head, then he looked up at the platter of sandwiches in front of him and made a decision.

_Screw it. _

_I want… I want… another sandwich. _

So he reached out and took one.

He hesitated for a moment, setting the sandwich down on his plate, as though waiting to hear the reprimands and see the disapproving looks.

But they never came.

Neither Burt nor Kurt even looked up from their own plates.

Blaine picked the sandwich back up, dipped it in ketchup and took a large bite.

Then he made another decision.

_And damn it…I'm going to smile all I want._

* * *

"I… uh… was hoping to check in with my guys at the shop this afternoon." Burt announced, sopping up the last of the ketchup off his plate with the crust of his seventh sandwich. "Will you two… uh… be okay here by yourselves for an hour or so?"

He looked up then, and was met by two pairs of wide eyes, one set of hazel and the others brilliant blue.

Kurt looked at Blaine and Blaine looked at Kurt.

They both shrugged, but neither teenager knew what to say.

"Uh… _yes_?" Kurt offered slowly.

It sounded more like a question than an answer.

He glanced at Blaine as if to say '_are you okay with this?_' and the smaller teen shrugged and nodded casually.

Burt hesitated for a moment. In any other circumstance, he would have never dreamed of leaving his (_gay_) son home alone with another (_gay_) boy… but… based on recent events, he knew they would be more than responsible.

He was confident that his son would be respectful of Blaine's… _situation_… and he seriously doubted that anything remotely close to relationships or sex would even enter Blaine's mind at this point.

_Not after everything…_

Burt blinked several times attempting to interrupt the pessimism that had seeped into his mind and cleared his throat before reconnecting his eyes with the teens in front of him.

"I'll only be gone for a short while, and I'll have my cell on me, so if anything happens or if you need me to come home, call me and I'll be back in no time… alright?"

Both boys nodded silently.

Burt gulped and nodded in return. It was as though he was trying to reassure himself more so than the boys.

_It's only an hour. _

_They'll be safe for an hour._

_No one can hurt them here._

_My boys will be safe. _

Burt's heart ached as the last string of his words echoed in his mind.

He wasn't quite sure when it had happened; When he'd started feeling as though Blaine was genuinely part of his own family.

All Burt Hummel knew was that his papa bear instincts were kicked into high gear.

_He's like a son to me, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let anyone hurt this kid ever again._

* * *

Blaine carefully plucked another plate out of the blue plastic drainer and strategically transferred it into the fingers of his left hand.

Helping with dishes wasn't exactly an simple task while wearing his sling, but as long as he was careful, he found that he was able to hold the smaller items like plates, glasses and the utensils in his left hand, while carefully wiping them with the towel in his right.

Drying the plate took a lot longer than it probably should of, but Kurt didn't seem to mind. In fact, Blaine guessed that Kurt was deliberately taking his time washing the dishes, giving him a few extra minutes to do his part without becoming overwhelmed with the sink full of clean ones before he could get them dried.

Blaine sighed as he reached over and set the plate on the stack on the counter. They were meant to be in the cupboard above, but Kurt had told him just to leave them on the counter to be put away after.

He furrowed his brows as he reached for another dish – this time a crystal tumbler – from the drainer and began his slow and arduous drying routine once again.

_I hope he doesn't think I'm useless._

_I just wish I could be better help. _

_I wish I could… __**be**__ better._

He glanced up to where Kurt stood by the sink, tall and graceful even in his stationary pose.

Blaine's eyes travelled up Kurt's lean frame, noting the way his left knee was bent just slightly, and the way his hip jutted out the side almost unnoticeably.

Kurt was leaning against the front of the sink, and Blaine noticed that a bit of the water from the edge of the sink had leached into the front of Kurt's t-shirt, resulting in a wide, darkened stain.

Kurt didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.

Blaine's eyes travelled further up the teen's body, and he allowed them to follow the minute curves of Kurt's thin but toned chest and the gentle prominences of his shoulder blades.

A tiny crooked grin formed on his face when he absorbed the sight of Kurt's pale white arms emerging from the sleeves of the t-shirt.

_He's so white._

_But his skin looks so soft._

His eyes carefully and slowly took in every inch of Kurt's long, delicate arms until the point where his wrists disappeared underneath the soapy water.

Blaine sighed again as he remembered the feeling of Kurt's hands in his hair the night before.

He'd been so gentle.

So… _careful_.

Blaine wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to express to Kurt just how much that seemingly simple task had meant to him.

It was so much more than just a haircut.

Blaine could still feel the tenderness of Kurt's fingers as he loosely combed through each individual curl, and the way he'd felt lighter with each gentle snip of the shears.

Blaine knew for certain that Kurt had taken great care not to pull on his hair. It was substantiated by the mere element of time.

It had taken almost three hours for Kurt to finish his task.

He'd moved so slow, so gracefully, and had talked Blaine through every second of it; pre-warning him every time prior to picking up a new curl, and before every snip with the scissors.

Blaine could remember feeling oddly peaceful as he settled into the desk chair. His shoulders had eventually relaxed and he'd actually begun to enjoy his experience.

He'd never been treated with such… _tenderness_… in his whole life.

It was… amazing.

Kurt's fingers had been so… _warm_ on his scalp.

So perfect.

He could still feel those same fingers, even though he couldn't see them submerged below the mountains of bubbles in the sink.

He pictured their long and delicate contours, and imagined that they would look slightly wrinkled from being in the water for as long as they had been.

Blaine sighed again.

_But I bet they're even softer now._

"Are you okay?"

Blaine snapped himself out of his reverie and looked up to where Kurt was looking across at him.

_What did he say?_

Kurt appeared pleasantly curious. Blaine's wide hazel eyes made him look like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Are you okay?" He repeated.

Blaine gulped, shrugged and added a nod just for good measure.

"Are you… _sure_?" Kurt asked with a shit-eating smirk. He nodded towards the glass in Blaine's hand. "You've been drying that same cup for like five minutes…"

Blaine's eyes widened and he felt his cheeks, ears _and_ neck grow embarrassingly warm.

He hadn't realized he'd been staring.

Again.

"I-I'm fine." He stuttered.

It had felt like ages since he'd spoken; his words came out garbled and slightly broken.

"Good." Kurt grinned. "Just checking."

Blaine's face grew even redder, so he intentionally turned his body slightly away from Kurt and reached up to put the cup away in the cupboard.

From that point on, Blaine took extra care to keep his eyes on the dishes in his hands rather than on the boy standing next to him.

It went well… for the first little while.

It was the last item in the drainer that caused all hell to break loose.

The boys had been silently working at their own tasks for the past several minutes, both wandering around inside their own heads and not paying much attention to anything when it happened.

Kurt had his back turned towards Blaine and was mindlessly wiping the stove top with the dish cloth while Blaine was drying the last glass tumbler.

When he'd finished drying the glass, Blaine reached up towards the cupboard to put it away and a sharp pain shot through his shoulder, catching him completely off guard.

His muscles in his opposite limb spasmed from the unexpected surge of pain and the glass slipped out of his fingers.

It was like everything happened in slow motion.

Knowing he'd never be able to stop it, Blaine winced, and braced himself, preparing for what would undoubtedly be a horrific crash.

The glass connected with the edge of the counter and exploded with an ear-splitting crack that echoed throughout the kitchen.

It took a few seconds for Blaine to force his eyes open and assess the damage.

The glass was shattered.

One large piece of fragmented crystal remained on the edge of the counter, surrounded by thousands of tiny shards, littered around the counter and on the floor by Blaine's bare feet.

His heart hammered in his chest in synchronicity with the echoing in his ears from the crash.

_Fuck._

_I broke it._

_I ruined it. _

_I ruin everything._

_Carole is gonna be so mad._

Thousands of thoughts flooded Blaine's mind, each one worse than its predecessor.

_Kurt's going to think I'm such a moron. _

_He's never going to trust me._

That was when Blaine finally realized that Kurt hadn't even responded to the ruckus.

He turned around slowly, carefully avoiding the pieces of broken glass at his feet, and sucked in a staggered breath, preparing himself for the worst.

_He's going to look so disappointed._

_I'm so stupid._

_He's going to hate…_

But what he saw when he finally turned to face Kurt, broke Blaine's fragile heart into pieces not dissimilar from the shards of glass on the floor.

Kurt was still over by the stove, but instead of standing next to it wiping it down, he was crouched down on the floor next to the discarded dishcloth with his knees drawn up into his chest and his face tucked into his lap. Both of Kurt's hands were pressed against his ears with his fingers tangled in his disheveled hair, as though trying desperately to mute out the echoing resonance from the shattering glass.

Blaine didn't even need to squint to see that Kurt had his eyes squeezed shut against his knees as he rocked back and forth frantically on the floor.

He looked terrified.

Blaine was frozen.

He'd been so worried about Kurt's reaction, but he'd never _ever_ expected to see this.

Kurt…

_His_ Kurt was having a panic attack.

Blaine's feet were planted to the ground.

_KurtKurtKurtKurtKurt_

His mind was begging him to do something, but he couldn't move.

_Helphelphelphelphelp_

Tears streamed down Blaine's cheeks as he stood helplessly only feet away from Kurt.

"K…K…."

Even his tongue wouldn't function properly.

"I…. I-…"

Nothing.

He was stuck.

Completely blocked.

There were dozens, no – _hundreds_ of words circling around his brain. He had so much to say – to ask – to scream.

Blaine could see that each word and every phrase was painted a different color in his mind; leaving him with a palette of hundreds of messy paint splotches splattered on the inside of his skull. They were floating around and spinning so quickly that he simply couldn't catch up to the words he wanted to say.

It was the most frustrating feeling in the world.

Like he was trapped inside his own head with no hope of escape.

Blaine knew that in order to help Kurt, he needed to speak.

He was desperate to snap Kurt out of whatever terrifying state he appeared to be in at the moment, but every time another word crept closer to his lips and he finally felt like he might actually be able to spit it out, it would flicker away to the darkest confines of his brain and he was left speechless once again.

Blaine growled in frustration. Actually growled.

He desperately wanted to take a few steps closer and put his arms around his friend, as Kurt had done for him countless times before, but his legs were filled with sand.

He couldn't move.

"K…K…Kur…"

Blaine grew more and more frustrated with each failed attempt at calling out. He squeezed his own eyes shut, clenched his fists and tried once again with anger, disappointment and desperation flooding his veins.

"K…K… K-KURT!" This time he all but shouted the word he'd been agonizing over.

For a moment, Blaine panicked that he'd yelled too loud, but his brain finally registered that Kurt hadn't even flinched, so he tried once again.

"K-Kurt?" It was easier this time, more desperate, but not quite as loud. "K-Kurt, p-please!"

Blaine wasn't even sure what he was begging for. All he knew was that he needed Kurt back. His strong, brave Kurt. Not the terrified boy rocking on the floor in front of him.

With his heart pounding in his ears and his stomach clenched tighter than he could ever remember it being, Blaine finally forced his feet into action. He took two tentative steps forward and reached his good arm out towards Kurt's shaking frame.

Then he hesitated.

_Should I touch him?_

_What if he…_

_I don't know what to do._

_Kurt… please… please come back. _

_I don't know what to do._

_I need you. _

_Please come back. _

_Please._

"K-Kurt?" It was barely more than a whisper. The emotion was so thick in Blaine's throat that it almost trapped his words once again. "P-Please…"

Nothing.

"Kurt…?" He tried again, inching closer. "Kurt, p-please. I n-need you."

Finally, Blaine's trembling fingers came to rest gently on Kurt's shoulder and he felt the terrified boy flinch under him.

"I-It's j-just me." Blaine stammered; his voice sounding years younger than he'd ever aimed for. "It's j-just...B-Blaine."

Kurt immediately stopped rocking.

Blaine sucked in an anxious breath.

_Had he heard him?_

_Was he… coming back?_

"I'm here, Kurt." This time Blaine's voice somehow sounded stronger, more sure of himself. "I'm here, a-and… you're okay."

Within a few moments, Kurt's body relaxed, his hands lowered from the sides of his head and he finally allowed his face to come up from where it had been buried in his knees.

He couldn't bring himself to look directly at the shorter teen, who was crouched down next to him.

"B-Blaine?"

Kurt's voice sounded broken and unsure, and if Blaine wasn't mistaken – possibly a bit mortified. It didn't sound like _his_ Kurt at all.

_His_ Kurt always sounded cheerful, positive and… well put together.

When Kurt finally forced himself to look up, Blaine could hardly recognize the boy in front of him; he looked wrecked. His eyes were red and puffy, although Blaine couldn't see any tears to indicate that Kurt had been crying.

"I- I'm here." Blaine whispered, looking terrified by the frightful sight in front of him.

Kurt gulped nervously and allowed his eyes to flutter around the room, behind Blaine and he finally noticed the broken glass on the floor.

His eyes darted back to where Blaine was knelt in front him.

"Glass…" He breathed expressionlessly. "Broken…"

Blaine's face fell.

"Umm… I-I'm sorry…" He apologized, suddenly unable to make eye contact. "I-I d-dropped it."

Kurt gulped again before sucking in a ragged breath.

"It's okay." He said, his voice slightly closer to its normal pitch. "It's okay."

Kurt nodded dully, as though reassuring himself as well as Blaine.

"It's okay." He repeated. Kurt's words were beginning to sound like a despondent mantra.

Blaine's face contorted into a look of pure shame and he found himself still unable to meet Kurt's gaze. "I-I'll p-pay for it."

"It's… it's fine… Blaine." Kurt shook his head as he picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off. It was obvious that he was putting on a brave face. "It was only an accident."

A few seconds of pure awkwardness passed before Blaine frowned and turned to Kurt once again.

"Are you… ummm… A-Are _you_ okay?"

He was relieved to hear that he could finally maneuver his tongue again.

Upon Blaine's question, Kurt quickly averted his eyes and nodded non-committedly. A gentle shade of pink tinted his porcelain cheeks, which made Blaine's chest ache.

Kurt was embarrassed.

"I…I'm sorry… It just startled me, that's all. I'm fine." Kurt spoke the words but there was no inkling of truth behind them.

Blaine frowned even harder, forcing his eyebrows into a tight line across his forehead.

_Kurt is definitely __**not**__ fine. _

_Only minutes ago, he was curled up in a ball rocking back and forth like a crazy person._

_No… _

Blaine scolded himself for his choice of words – even if they were only in his mind.

…_like a terrified child._

_Kurt looked like a scared little boy._

"I… ummm…" Blaine started, unsure of where his train of thought was even headed. "I'm sorry I scared you."

Kurt, who finally had his breathing back to normal, tried to shrug off Blaine's apology, though it was apparent that he was still moderately uncomfortable.

"It's okay. I'm fine, Blaine… I-I promise."

Blaine looked doubtful.

_You didn't look fine. _

_And you're still shaking._

Kurt shrugged once again. "Honestly, Blaine… Don't worry about me. It just surprised me, that's all."

Blaine didn't believe him for a second.

Kurt ignored Blaine's doubtful stare and turned to glance at the shards of glass on the floor.

"You didn't cut yourself, did you?"

Blaine shook his head before realizing that Kurt had his back to him and wouldn't be able to see it.

"No." He replied quietly. "I'm okay."

_But are you?_

"Okay, good." Kurt confirmed, his voice forced back into its normal register. "Shall we clean this up?"

Blaine sighed, not content with the outcome of their 'discussion'. If he was being honest, he'd wanted to keep talking. He'd wanted to make sure Kurt was actually okay.

But he nodded anyway and turned to help Kurt pick up the pieces.

* * *

The tension remained thick in the air the entire time the boys picked up the shards of broken glass from the floor. Neither boy spoke a word, but Blaine couldn't help but steal nervous glances towards Kurt when he thought the other boy wasn't looking.

_What happened?_

_Why did Kurt freak out like that?_

He felt terrible.

He'd managed to convince himself that everything was his fault. They'd been in much better spirits this morning, after a rough night before, but now… it felt like it was all for nothing.

They were back to square one.

Blaine sighed as he watched Kurt sweep the tiny pile of broken glass into the dustpan.

_If I hadn't dropped the stupid glass… Kurt would be okay right now._

_Wouldn't he?_

Something in his brain nagged him about the circumstances of Kurt's panic attack.

_Was it the sound of the glass breaking that scared him?_

_Or… something else?_

Blaine was perplexed.

He'd wondered a few times if Kurt really was as 'okay' with things as he claimed to be, but he was too afraid to ask.

It had been brewing in the back of Blaine's mind that perhaps Kurt was merely putting on a brave face - a mask to hide his insecurities.

He'd been in that motel room too.

Even though some of his memories from… _there_…were foggy, Blaine could remember with perfect clarity every second of Kurt's encounter with… _him_.

_The gun._

_The horrible things the man had said to Kurt._

_The things he'd planned to do to him._

_The way Kurt had offered himself in place of Blaine._

Kurt had been so scared.

He'd tried to be brave, there was no doubt in Blaine's mind, but the truth was that Kurt had been terrified.

Blaine's heart ached as his mind replayed the events over and over like an endless cycle of horror.

Of course Kurt is not okay.

How could he _ever_ be okay after that?

"Are you alright?"

Blaine's thoughts were interrupted as Kurt spoke softly from beside him.

"You look pale."

Blaine snapped his eyes up until they met Kurt's and he took a second to compose the sentence he wanted to say.

"I'm sorry about the motel."

The moment the words stumbled from his mouth, Blaine's eyes widened and he flickered them away from Kurt's face.

_Well shit. _

That wasn't at ALL what he'd planned.

He suddenly wished he could go hide in a dark hole somewhere.

At the same time, Kurt felt like he'd been sideswiped.

He wasn't anticipating that from Blaine at all.

_Where did that even come from?_

He cursed himself as he saw how incredibly uncomfortable Blaine looked beside him and the pieces finally slid into place.

_Damn it. _

_He thinks it's his fault. _

_I'm such an idiot. _

_Why did I react like that?_

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

"It's okay, Blaine." He reassured, putting his hand carefully on the other boy's shoulder. "Nothing was your fault. At all. Not back… _there_… and not just now."

Blaine didn't respond.

Kurt sighed and tried another tactic.

"Listen…" He started calmly. He carefully placed both of his hands on Blaine's shoulders and turned the shorter teen around to face him. Blaine gulped but managed to keep his eyes focused on Kurt's – even though it was took an incredible amount of strength to do so.

"We're okay… _Both of us_." Kurt continued. "We've been through a lot, but we have each other now. And… we'll… _get there_… alright?"

Blaine swallowed again, and momentarily looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he closed his mouth and nodded unconvincingly.

Kurt forced a smile to his lips.

_There he is._

_My Blaine._

_I just need to be strong for him._

_He needs me to be strong._

_I can't ever freak out like that again._

Blaine felt guilty as he watched Kurt turn to put the broom back in the hall closet.

There was so much more that he wanted to say but he knew it wasn't a battle he'd win today.

_I need to be stronger. _

_Kurt is the one who needed help back there and I couldn't even do anything. _

_I need to be brave for him._

_He's been so strong for me. _

_I need to make sure he's okay too._

* * *

Kurt returned a moment later with a wide grin on his face.

Blaine noticed immediately that it didn't even look like a forced smile that lit up his delicate features.

He looked genuinely… _excited_ about something.

"I have an idea!" Kurt announced as he walked up to the table and sat down next to Blaine.

Blaine couldn't help but feel warmth flood into his chest.

He missed this version of Kurt.

"W-what is it?" His voice broke slightly as he turned towards his friend with wide eyes.

"Cookies!" Kurt revealed with an animated hand gesture.

Blaine scrunched his eyebrows and wrinkled his nose in confusion.

_Cookies_?

"Let's bake cookies!" Kurt sounded even more excited.

Blaine's eyes widened.

_No. Freaking. Way._

Kurt grinned.

"I noticed that the cookies from Coach Beiste are almost gone, mostly thanks to my dad, so I figured we could bake some more!" He explained. "Do you want to?"

Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He'd watched Kurt make breakfast every morning and had always wanted to get up and help, but he didn't want to be 'in the way'.

His mother had never let him help with dinner (on the rare occasion that she actually _cooked_ something), so he always felt hesitant to ask. But making lunch with Burt, even if it was just sandwiches, had inspired Blaine. He wanted nothing more than to share the kitchen with Kurt.

He was just about to reply when a thought struck him.

_Wait… is this just Kurt's way of brushing his panic attack under the carpet?_

_Is he trying to cover up his… episode?_

Blaine was conflicted.

On one hand, he knew that he and Kurt should talk about what happened. He knew there was more to Kurt's attack than 'it just startled me.'

But on the other hand…

Cookies.

He loved cookies!

And he really wanted…

"Blaine?" Kurt interrupted his thoughts once again. "Do you not want to?"

"Yes!" Blaine spoke up suddenly, with more gusto than necessary. "I want to! Please! Yes! Can we?"

Kurt laughed.

It had been a while since he'd seen Blaine look so excited. His face had literally lit up when Kurt had mentioned baking cookies.

He'd looked adorably excited.

"Great!" Kurt chuckled. "What kind do you want?"

Blaine drew his bottom lip in between his teeth and thought for a moment.

"Can we… I mean… Ummm…" He started, but found the words stalling at the tip of his tongue once again.

"Go ahead." Kurt encouraged him with a friendly smile. "You can ask for anything you want."

Blaine nodded and thought for a moment.

"Could we… ummm… m-my grandpa…" He frustratingly cleared his throat and started once more.

"My grandpa and I used to make cookies." Blaine finally blurted out. "At his cabin."

"Yeah?" Kurt asked. "Do you have a secret family recipe to share?"

Blaine grinned shyly and the tips of his ears reddened just slightly. "You… you want to use my recipe?"

"Of course!" Kurt giggled. "You _are_ the master chef after all!"

Blaine's entire face flushed bright pink.

"You are!" Kurt grinned. "Especially when you wear that adorable apron."

Blaine's eyes widened in horror as he looked down at the lace-covered apron he'd forgotten he'd been wearing while preparing lunch.

His face went from pink to red in a matter of seconds and he suddenly found it hard to look Kurt in the eye.

"What?" Kurt giggled. "You look… cute."

That didn't lessen the blush on Blaine's cheeks. He looked up at Kurt from underneath his thick dark eyelashes and smiled shyly.

"It's kind of… _girly_…"

"I think it's adorable." Kurt stated matter-of-factly. He pressed both his hands into Blaine's shoulders encouragingly. "I think _you're_ adorable."

Blaine scoffed and his head fell forward bashfully.

Kurt just grinned.

He loved making Blaine squirm.

"What kind are they?" Kurt asked, deciding finally to give the boy a break from his incessant teasing.

Blaine looked up at him with a look of utter confusion. His eyebrows were furrowed together, producing two near-perfect dark triangles on his forehead.

"Huh?"

Kurt giggled again. "The cookies. What kind are the cookies?"

"Oh…right." Blaine looked thoughtful for a moment before a grin spread slowly over his face.

"Peanut butter." He said softly.

"HA!" Kurt laughed. "Of course they'd be peanut butter cookies!"

Blaine scrunched his nose. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay!" Kurt said climbing to his feet. "It's perfect!"

He stood up from the table and headed towards the pantry before turning back with a sly grin on his face and he added.

"…like you."

Blaine's head dropped shyly for a second time before Kurt spoke up once again.

"Alright master chef…" He said in an official tone. "What ingredients will we need?"

Blaine lifted his head and stood up from the table. He walked over to where Kurt was standing inside the walk-in pantry and gazed up at the dozens of shelves of non-perishable foods.

"Ummm… peanut butter?" He offered quietly.

Kurt snorted.

"You're kidding right?" He jested, poking Blaine gently in the ribs. "You need _peanut butter_ to make peanut butter cookies?"

Blaine giggled and moved his arm around to protect himself from any further tickle attacks.

"Also… uhhh… vanilla and sugar."

Kurt gathered the three ingredients, handing Blaine the small bottle of vanilla to carry and together, they sat the items on the counter by the stove.

"We… ummm… also need eggs." Blaine said shyly.

"Do you want to grab them out of the fridge?"

Blaine simply nodded and turned towards the large white refrigerator. He took his time looking for the eggs, once again allowing his eyes to roam over the endless mountains of fruit and vegetables that filled the shelves.

It still blew his mind how _full_ the Hudmel's refrigerator was.

_They'll never have to be hungry. _

Then a thought struck him that made him feel almost… _giddy_.

_I'll never have to be hungry._

Blaine's chest filled with warmth as he bent over and picked up the cardboard carton of eggs from the bottom shelf before closing the door and placing the eggs on the countertop with the other ingredients they'd need to bake their cookies.

"Do we need anything else?" Kurt asked politely, as he reached into the cupboard next to him and pulled out a large mixing bowl.

Blaine thought for a moment, doing a mental tally of the ingredients in his head. It was a ridiculously easy recipe, and one he and his grandfather had used frequently during Blaine's summer trips out to the cabin so he was very familiar with it.

Baking cookies with his grandfather were some of the few happy memories that Blaine had from his younger years.

Memories that Blaine treasured deeply.

Now he was going to make new memories. With Kurt.

"Nope." Blaine smiled and looked up at Kurt with a sparkle in his hazel eyes. "This is perfect."

Together the boys measured out the appropriate quantities of peanut butter and sugar for a double batch of cookies and dumped them into the glass bowl. Blaine giggled when, as Kurt was blatantly showing off by cracking an egg with only one hand, he managed to get a few fragments of eggshell in the batter. He couldn't help but grin as he watched Kurt's ears turned red as he abashedly fished out the pieces of shell.

Once the batter was shell-free and mixed together, Blaine added the vanilla, and they were ready to scoop the raw dough onto the cookie sheet.

"My grandpa said that you're suppose to mash them down with a fork but I don't do that." Blaine said casually as he placed the sixteenth symmetrical blob of dough on the cookie sheet.

"Oh?" Kurt asked. "Why not?"

Blaine didn't even look up from what he was doing.

"Why flatten them?" He explained with a casual shrug. "I like to let them grow into whatever shape they want to be."

Kurt was floored.

He immediately stopped scooping the batter and looked at the shorter teen in front of him.

Blaine was still mindlessly fussing with the blobs of peanut buttery dough, arranging them in equally spaced rows on the cookie sheet.

It was as though he'd not even realized the importance of what he'd said.

Kurt knew there was so much more depth to Blaine's statement than just peanut butter cookies.

It simply amazed him how strong Blaine was. Through everything that he'd been through, he'd managed to somehow keep a positive spin on things.

Even if he didn't directly know he was doing it.

Kurt found himself staring at Blaine shamelessly for several moments.

The way his fingers moved the blobs of dough so carefully, it was like he was scared to have them break apart.

The way he hummed softly to himself as he mindlessly sprinkled sugar over each of the mounds of dough.

Kurt grinned as he realized for the first time that Blaine tended to stick his tongue out of the left side of his mouth when he was concentrating heavily on a task.

_This boy is so perfect. _

_And I am falling in love with him more and more every minute._

* * *

By the time the last batch of cookies came out of the oven, Burt had returned from the shop and he and the boys polished off almost one entire tray of the crunchy peanut butter treats.

"These are delicious, Blaine!" Burt praised, reaching for another one. "You can bake cookies here anytime!"

Blaine smiled shyly at the same time that Kurt snorted.

"Dad…" He warned. "You know you have to watch what you eat. I don't even want to ask how many sandwiches you ate this afternoon."

Burt scoffed. "What? You mean Blaine's grillders?"

Kurt looked confused.

_Huh?_

_Grillder?_

Burt and Blaine exchanged a knowing smirk as Burt continued. "There is nothing wrong with having a full belly."

Kurt snorted again.

"Yeah… right dad… you just keep telling yourself that."

Blaine couldn't help but giggle when Burt winked at him after sticking his tongue out at Kurt and deliberately reaching for another cookie.

They finished their snack and Burt retired to the living room to put his feet up and watch TV.

Kurt and Blaine stood up from the table and began cleaning up their cookie-baking mess.

Kurt was thankful that there was no flour in Blaine's recipe, because they'd made a big enough mess with only the four ingredients they'd used. He began washing the cookie sheets as Blaine cleared off the cupboard.

Blaine put the peanut butter, the sugar and the vanilla back into the pantry and the eggs in the fridge, once again taking his time to peek at all the colorful vegetables on the bottom shelves. He then moved over to the counter and picked up the mixing bowl and the wooden spoon they'd used to mix the batter. There were still several clumps of the gooey dough inside the bowl and stuck to the spoon and when Blaine discovered this, he couldn't help the sinister scheme that sprouted inside his brain. He silently inched his way over behind where Kurt stood next to the sink, with his hands in the soapy dishwater, singing to himself carelessly.

When Blaine stepped up behind Kurt, he stopped for a moment, hesitating.

_Should I?_

_Kurt is pretty particular about… cleanliness. _

_I wouldn't want to upset him._

_What if he gets mad?_

Blaine bit his bottom lip.

_But…_

_I want to hear him laugh._

_I miss his laugh._

_If I do it… maybe he'll laugh._

A grin spread across his face.

_Screw it._

_He'll laugh. _

_He has to._

With a smirk that split his face in half, Blaine carefully lifted up the spoon and held his breath as he smeared the sticky mess across Kurt's left cheek.

The shriek that resulted was nearly enough to shatter all of the windows in the Hudmel household.

"Blaine…. _Something…_ Anderson!" Kurt squealed, trying in vain to wipe the mess off his cheek with his shoulder. "You did _not_ just do that!"

Blaine grinned for a brief moment before forcing his face back to the most solemn façade he could muster.

"I don't know what you're talking about Kurt." He managed to speak clearly and precisely without a hint of a stutter or hesitation as he pretended to wipe the counter.

He failed however, to keep the smirk off his face or the twinkle out of his eyes as Kurt's jaw dropped.

"You little…" Kurt started, but stopped himself when he realized he had no idea what to call Blaine that would express his astonishment.

Blaine laughed then, a hearty, gut-wiggling laugh that filled the entire kitchen.

His amusement ended shortly thereafter, however, when a large handful of soapsuds smacked into the side of his own face.

Blaine blinked several times in surprise.

_Did Kurt just… throw bubbles at me?_

The '_hell yes I did'_ face that Kurt donned answered his question immediately.

Blaine looked down at the spoon in his hand.

There was still some peanut butter left on it.

He lifted his eyes back up to meet Kurt's blue ones, which were wide and… warning.

"Don't. You. Dare." Kurt warned, taking several backward steps away from Blaine and wagging a finger at him.

Blaine bit his lip.

He dared.

In the ensuing three and a half minutes, gobs of peanut butter, handfuls of soapy dishwater and foamy white bubbles were flying left, right and center throughout the kitchen.

Squeals of delight, mixed with empty threats and jubilant giggles echoed and filled the entire home.

Just as Kurt had pinned Blaine (_carefully_) to the kitchen counter and had threatened to push an entire handful of suds into his face an incredulous voice sounded from behind them.

"What the hell are you two doing?"

Kurt, knowing that his father wouldn't actually be upset with them, leaned into Blaine's ear and whispered with a wink.

"Pinned ya."

Blaine's eyes widened as he wiggled out from underneath Kurt and stood up straight.

"S-sorry sir…" He spoke softly. "We-we were j-just…"

Burt laughed.

"It's alright son." He said, shaking his head and turning back towards the living room. "Just… make sure you clean up when you're done."

Blaine nodded as he watched Burt walk away. "Y-yes Mr. Hummel."

"It's Burt." The man called back without turning around.

Blaine gulped. "Okay…Mr.…Burt."

Burt shook his head as he continued to the living room.

_Mr. Burt. That's a new one._

When they were alone again, Blaine turned back to Kurt with wide eyes.

"He's not… mad?"

"Hardly." Kurt snorted.

Blaine thought for a moment. "You're sure?"

"Yup."

"Okay good." Blaine said quietly. "So… that means… I'm okay to do this!"

He vaulted himself back at Kurt, and reached his hand out to wipe the sticky mess of peanut butter that remained on it down the front of Kurt's face.

The taller teen stepped off to the side, missing the majority of Blaine's assault, and spun the boy around in his arms and pinned him against the counter once again.

Blaine's eyes went wide, the unexpected strength of Kurt's arms around him surprising him, but when he looked into the sparkles which filled Kurt's dazzling blue eyes, he knew there was nothing for him to worry about.

"Pinned ya again." Kurt quoted.

Blaine sighed in defeat.

"I give up." He said flatly. "You win the epic peanut butter battle."

"Of course I did." Kurt beamed proudly.

Blaine looked up at Kurt in mock defeat.

"I hope you're pleased." He replied with a pout, indicating to his left arm, which was still secured in a now peanut butter-stained, blue fabric sling. "You've defeated a gimp."

Kurt snorted and ruffled Blaine's hair, leaving it standing up on end from the vast amount of peanut butter that had made its way into his curls.

"But you're an adorable gimp so it's okay." He crooned with a wink.

Blaine rolled his eyes.

"It's Devon." He said after a moment of silence.

Kurt looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"My… my middle name." Blaine explained. "It's Devon."

Kurt smiled and stuck out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Blaine Devon Anderson."

Blaine looked amused, but stuck out his hand nevertheless, anticipating the handshake.

What he wasn't expecting was the giant handful of soap bubbles that would slap against his palm and splatter all over his face.

"Ack!"

Kurt roared with laughter when he saw the mounds bubbles sticking to Blaine's nose and chin.

Blaine tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably and the pair ended up in another fit of uncontrollable giggles.

After their laughter had subsided several minutes later, Blaine shrugged off Kurt's hand and looked down at the apron covering his chest.

"We made a mess." He admitted guiltily.

"Yeah, but it was a fun mess!" Kurt replied cheerfully. He dipped down to pick up the discarded wooden spoon from off the floor. "Shall we tidy?"

Blaine nodded with a smile, and together, the two boys began cleaning up the kitchen.

Again.

* * *

"Do you want me to help you undress?"

Kurt's face flushed an interesting shade of crimson the moment the words left his mouth.

He offered Blaine an encouraging smile, hoping that he hadn't made the other boy uncomfortable with his poor choice of words.

Blaine just shrugged, looking neither bothered nor embarrassed.

Kurt decided to interrupt the awkwardness by leaning forward and testing the temperature of the water for a third time.

It was perfectly warm but not too hot.

And loaded with bubbles.

"I mean…" Kurt added with a gulp as he stood back up. "I can wait outside, unless… you need me…?"

Blaine shook his head slowly.

"I… I think I can manage myself."

It was incredible how quickly the atmosphere had changed.

Only moments ago, the two boys had been giggling and carrying on in the kitchen, cleaning up the counters and wiping away numerous smears of peanut butter.

But now, after they'd decided that the only way for Blaine to get the peanut butter out of his hair was a bubble bath, the tension was back in full force.

Neither boy wanted to think about the fact that Blaine still wasn't strong enough to stand up in the shower by himself, or the fact that he still had one arm in a sling, or especially the fact that both his wrists and forearms were wrapped in white gauze from the events of the night before.

They didn't want to think about any of that.

So they didn't.

"I'll be right outside, okay?" Kurt reassured softly. "Call me if you need anything."

Blaine nodded and his eyes followed Kurt as he stepped outside the door and pulled it closed behind him.

Once alone, a shiver snaked up Blaine's spine as dozens of images and memories from the night before assaulted his mind.

He shook himself to clear the thoughts and began slipping out of his clothes. It took him a few minutes longer than it should have, especially to pull his shoulder out of the sling without inflicting any pain.

Once completely bared, Blaine stepped up to the mirror above the vanity and peered inside the flawless glass.

A breath caught in his throat as he made eye contact with the boy in his reflection.

His dark curls were standing up freely all over his head… and heavily coated in peanut butter.

He instinctively brought a hand up and flattened the locks of hair, suddenly self-conscious of his disheveled appearance as he stared into the mirror.

The boy in the reflection had hazel eyes that were surrounded by darkened circles, and his cheekbones seemed to stick out a little more than Blaine remembered.

But he didn't look like a stranger anymore.

Blaine sighed.

_It's me._

_It's still me._

_I'm still here._

He brought his hand up and allowed his fingers to grace over the smoothness of the skin on his chin and neck.

Kurt had done an expert job of shaving him the previous night.

Blaine then looked up at the new shorter curls on his head, turning to the side to inspect the hair above his ears.

Even with the peanut butter smears, it looked fairly well trimmed.

_Leave it to Kurt to pull off a decent haircut with no professional training._

Blaine stepped back from the mirror, carefully folded his clothes and set them on the counter by the sink.

It was time for his bath.

* * *

Kurt was nervous.

He hadn't wanted to leave Blaine alone, but he knew it was important to give him some space.

Blaine needed to be able to do some things for himself. It was important for his healing process.

But that didn't make it any easier to wait outside the bathroom door listening intently for any signs or sounds of Blaine needing help.

What if he hurt himself taking off the sling?

Kurt frowned and cursed himself.

_I should have helped him that that off before I left him in there._

What if he slipped getting into the tub?

_He's not strong enough. I should have helped him. _

_I wonder if he remembered to take off his gauze…_

Dozens of scenarios played in Kurt's mind, doing nothing to reassure him as he stood impatiently waiting in the hallway next to the bathroom door.

As the minutes passed with nothing but silence echoing from the opposite side of the door, Kurt grew more and more impatient.

Suddenly, another frantic thought hit him and a wave of nausea flooded into his veins.

_What if… he… last night… blood…_

It was a fragmented mess of possibility, and one that sent chills up Kurt's spine.

He leaned forward and literally pressed an ear to the door to listen for any sign that Blaine might be in any sort of trouble.

Silence.

It took all of his willpower not to call out.

_Give him space. Give him space._

_He'll be okay._

Another few minutes passed, bringing Kurt's trepidation to a climax.

He couldn't wait anymore.

He needed to know.

After listening again and being greeted by silence, Kurt decided to take action.

He brought up his hand and knocked gently on the wooden door.

Nothing.

Another knock - this one slightly louder.

"Blaine?" His voice sounded much more worried than he'd planned.

Nothing.

"May I come in?" Kurt asked, trying to sound more composed.

He failed.

He was just about to knock once more when a tiny voice on the other side of the door finally whispered back.

"Yes."

Kurt started breathing again.

He sucked in a deep breath, mentally reassuring himself before he turned the brass knob slowly and cracked open the door.

"A-are you sure?" Kurt asked, his voice cracking.

He heard the sound of Blaine sinking further into the tub.

"I'm sure."

Kurt puffed out a breath and stepped inside the tiny bathroom. When he looked over towards the tub, he saw that Blaine was laying in the water, buried under a mountain crystal white bubbles.

Kurt sighed, contented by the image before him.

_Blaine hadn't fallen._

_Nothing bad had happened._

_Everything was okay._

He reached into the drawer by the sink and pulled out a fluffy blue face cloth before stepping over towards and kneeling next to the tub.

Kurt reached the cloth into the water and dampened it before gently running it down Blaine's back using soft, gentle strokes.

"Any song requests today?"

* * *

"Thank you." Blaine whispered as he snuggled closer to Kurt's side.

They'd finished up Blaine's bath thirty minutes prior and as he changed into comfy clothes, Kurt had washed off his peanut butter stains and had done the same.

Now both boys were nestled on the couch once again, this time both sitting upright, but close enough that their shoulders were touching.

'_The Fox and the Hound' _was playing on the TV next to the Christmas tree and until Blaine had spoken, they'd both been enjoying the movie in a comfortable silence.

Kurt turned to look at the shorter teen and flashed him a soft smile.

"For what?" He asked, tilting his head to the side just slightly.

Blaine thought for a moment before answering.

"For everything."

Kurt's smile widened.

Blaine sighed.

"I mean it, Kurt." He explained slowly, carefully choosing his words. "You've been… so… _perfect_."

Kurt's breath caught just slightly.

"Blaine… I…" he started, but the remainder of his words seemed to get caught in his throat.

The curly-haired boy looked up at Kurt from under his dark lashes and a shy smile appeared on his face.

"I…ummm… I c-couldn't have…uh, I mean… I just…"

This time it was Blaine's words that were imprisoned behind his tongue.

Kurt reached over and gently squeezed Blaine's hand.

"I know." He assured him with a smile. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Blaine's temple. "I know."

Blaine sighed, obviously satisfied with Kurt's answer and together they melted back into the couch and continued the movie in silence.

It was as though neither boy even needed to speak. They were so in-tuned with each other that words were often unnecessary.

Two soulmates living and breathing together in perfect synchronicity.

Even if they didn't quite realize it yet.

* * *

Finn was starving.

(But realistically… when was Finn ever _not_ starving?)

He'd spent the afternoon (and almost the entire last week) at Puck's house playing video games when his mom had texted him to make sure he was home for dinner that night.

It sucked.

He'd been spending more and more time at Puck's and he didn't really want to come home yet.

_I'm not… exactly… avoiding my family._

_Well… maybe I kinda am._

_Mostly I'm just avoiding Blaine._

_Not because I don't like him._

_It's not like that. At all._

_He's a cool dude. _

_Or… at least… he was. _

_Before… whatever it was that happened… happened to him._

_He used to look so happy before and… he smiled a lot._

_Now… he just looks skinny. And sad all the time._

_He's probably hungry. _

_No one should be that skinny. _

_Even Kurt isn't that skinny and he eats creepy weird shit all the time._

_Even Blaine's hair is really messy now._

_And long. _

_And straggly. _

_He used to always have his hair gelled perfectly. _

_It's weird._

_It was like that one time when Kurt was all weird and sad - when Blaine was missing. _

_Now Blaine is the weird dude and Kurt's still kinda weird and… it's all just really weird._

Finn couldn't help the thoughts that tumbled through his mind.

He wasn't trying to be mean.

It was just… _awkward_… and he didn't like the strange feeling that he got in his stomach when he thought about it.

He shrugged his backpack up higher on his shoulder as he darted up the steps towards the front door of the Hudmel home.

He was really hungry.

* * *

It happened a lot faster than anyone would have predicted.

Although, had anyone predicted it, the near-disaster that happened next might have been avoided.

Kurt and Blaine were still nestled on the couch, mostly asleep when Finn came bursting through the front door…

...achnd slammed it.

Half dazed, Blaine flinched violently away from the sound, obviously not expecting the large bang that echoed through the living room.

His eyes squeezed closed automatically and he instinctively brought his un-slinged arm up to protect his face.

Blaine remained frozen in that position for several seconds, muscles tensed up as he held his breath.

It had all happened so fast that he didn't hear the sudden shuffling beside him.

He didn't even feel the couch move underneath him.

The only thing that alerted him that anything was wrong was the chorus of high-pitched whimpers coming from somewhere in front of him.

Blaine slowly cracked open his eyes and pulled his hand away from where it had remained in front of his face and peered down to the floor.

His stomach vaulted when he finally identified the source of the whimpers.

Kurt was crouched down between the couch and the oak coffee table with his knees drawn up into his chest. He had his eyes clenched tightly closed and was rocking manically back and forth.

But that wasn't what scared Blaine the most.

No, it wasn't Kurt's obvious terrified posture.

It wasn't even the frightened whimpers that were coming from the trembling boy.

It was Kurt's hands.

They were pawing at his face frantically.

Blaine's heart was pounding out of his chest. His eyes were wide as he watched in horror as Kurt swiped his hands across his face over and over.

He didn't know what do to.

_It's happening again._

_He's… freaking out._

Blaine felt completely helpless for far too many seconds before he finally snapped himself out of his own terrified state and desperately searched around the room for someone, _anyone_, to help him.

There was no one.

Who'd ever just come in the front door had obviously just gone straight through to the kitchen, because he'd seen neither hide nor hair of anyone walking past the living room.

Blaine could feel his breaths coming in short, panicked gasps as his eyes once again fell upon Kurt, still seated on the floor.

"Nononononononono."

The whimpers had now formed into a desperate plea.

Kurt was begging.

"Pleaseohgodpleasenopleasenononoplease"

His hands continued to wipe frantically at his face.

Suddenly his pleas became increasingly desperate and his pitch more and more terrified.

"Get it off!" He cried. "Get it off!"

The intensity of Kurt's screams whipped Blaine off the couch until he was kneeling next to Kurt on the floor.

He pulled his arm out of his sling, ignoring the dull ache that set in the moment it was discarded.

He brought both his hands up desperately, as though he wanted to reach for Kurt, but he paused, completely at a loss.

_What do I do?_

_He's so… scared._

_I don't know what to do…_

He whimpered to himself quietly.

_This isn't helping._

Blaine gulped down the thick lump of fear that was residing in his throat and took a deep breath.

_I have to do something._

_He needs me._

_I can't let him be alone again._

_I need to be brave._

_I need to help him._

"K-Kurt?" He squeaked.

Blaine frowned at the obvious weakness in his voice.

_That wasn't confident at all._

"K-Kurt?" He tried again, and he was rewarded with a slightly deeper, stronger voice, which prompted him to continue. "Kurt? Can you h-hear me?"

Kurt was so lost inside his own mind that he didn't even acknowledge Blaine's words.

He continued to rock back and forth, crying and begging and wiping off his face frantically.

Blaine gulped.

_This is bad._

_He's so afraid._

_What is he trying to wipe off his face?_

Blaine sucked in a deep breath and took a chance.

He needed to do _something_.

Carefully and slowly, he leaned towards Kurt and reached out his hands, the dull ache in his shoulder once again not even registering in his frantic mind.

His fingers inched towards Kurt's frame, which was curled into himself. He was quivering violently and his hands were still wiping helplessly at his face.

"Pleasegodpleasesosorrypleaseplease"

Several tears slipped down Blaine's cheeks at Kurt's terrified cries.

Whatever was going on inside Kurt's head, it chilled him to the bone.

The second Blaine's trembling fingers made contact with Kurt's shoulder, the older teen snapped out of his fearful state and instantly lashed out; throwing both hands forward in a desperate attempt of defense.

The palms of Kurt's hands connected with Blaine's chest and sent him crashing to the floor next to the coffee table.

"Stop it!" Kurt screamed, still refusing to open his eyes. "Don't you fucking touch me!"

A scream of pain surged through Blaine's shoulder and down his spine as he crumpled to the ground.

Tears burned the corners of his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. He squeezed his eyes closed, desperate to remain composed.

_He didn't mean it._

_He didn't mean it._

_He didn't mean it._

_He's just scared._

_He didn't mean to hurt me._

_He would never…_

The words became a mantra, repeating over and over in Blaine's mind as he struggled back up unto a kneeling position. He couldn't prevent the ensuing round of tears that cascaded down his cheeks when he saw that Kurt had folded his arms tightly around his drawn-up knees and tucked his face into them, desperate to remain hidden away from his invisible foe.

Blaine reached his hand up and brushed away his tears as he looked around the living room once again.

_Where is everyone?_

_Kurt needs help._

_Please._

_Someone please help._

No one came.

The only sounds that interrupted the eerie silence were Kurt's pitiful sobs.

"pleaspleasepleasedontpleasedontpleasedont"

Blaine face folded into a painful grimace as he began crawling back towards his friend.

"K-Kurt, p-please." He begged, his voice once again leaving him with minimal sense of bravado. "Please…"

Again, he wasn't sure what he was begging for.

_Please stop crying?_

_Please open your eyes?_

_Please don't… hit me?_

Blaine couldn't be sure. All he was certain of was that he needed Kurt back.

_His_ Kurt.

When he was within an arm's length of Kurt, Blaine paused once again, hesitant to reach out and touch the frightened boy in front of him.

"Kurt?" He cried. "It's me… it's B-Blaine."

No response.

Blaine gulped and wiped away the new tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand before trying again.

"Kurt? Please… You're… You're okay. You're safe."

Nothing.

He squeezed his eyes closed, praying for strength.

He couldn't give up.

Kurt needed him.

"Kurt!" He exclaimed, slightly louder, as he burst open his eyes. "Please! Please come back!"

Kurt's staggered breaths halted momentarily, making Blaine's eyes widen and his heart skip several beats.

"Kurt?"

Blaine watched as Kurt's muscles relaxed, just slightly. He remained curled up into himself, but it was obvious that Kurt had heard him.

"Kurt?" Blaine tried once more. "It's me… it's Blaine."

The taller teen's breath caught.

"K-Kurt? Can you hear me?"

If Blaine wasn't mistaken, he thought he saw Kurt give him the briefest of nods.

"I'm here." Blaine reassured gently. "We're okay."

Kurt drew in a deep, staggered breath and slowly lifted his head.

His eyes remained tightly closed, but Blaine didn't care.

Kurt heard him.

That's all that mattered.

"I'm here." Blaine repeated. "You're okay. We're safe."

Kurt's face melted into an uncertain frown and he brought his pale hands up to cover his eyes.

Blaine searched his mind for something he could do to prove to Kurt that he was safe. An idea struck him and he lifted his head and opened his mouth to speak, choosing his words slowly and carefully.

"K-Kurt?" It was barely anything more than a whisper. "I… Can I…"

He squeezed his eyes closed and clenched his fists as anger bubbled up inside of him.

_Not now._

_I can't lose it now._

_I have to talk._

_Kurt needs me._

He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His heart was still pounding wildly and he was breathing much faster than was normal.

"Kurt." He said firmly. He took a few seconds to collect himself before continuing. "Can I… p-please… hold your hand?"

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed under his palms, his eyes remained closed and he didn't utter a word.

Blaine thought for a moment, weighing his options.

He decided he needed to take action.

His words… stuttered and broken as they were weren't going to be enough.

"I-I'm going to touch your hand, Kurt." Blaine warned as he leaned closer. He slowly moved his fingers until they brushed against Kurt's trembling ones, still pressed firmly into his face.

Blaine sucked in a breath, relived that Kurt didn't flinch or pull away, and he pressed his hand tighter to Kurt's.

"K-Kurt…I-I…" Blaine stuttered. "I'm going to pull your hand down, okay?"

When he received no response, Blaine gulped, nodded to reassure himself and intertwined his fingers with the ones on Kurt's left hand and slowly pulled them down and away from his face.

When Kurt didn't protest, Blaine repeated the process with Kurt's right hand until they were finally facing either other, even though Kurt still had his eyes clenched tightly closed.

Blaine took a deep breath and looked closely at Kurt's face. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, and scrunched together so tightly that the corners of them were covered in fine wrinkly creases.

"Can you… open your eyes?" Blaine asked softly, leaving both of his hands tangled with Kurt's on his lap.

He gave Kurt's fingers the gentlest of squeezes when he didn't answer, prompting the boy subtly.

Kurt's face scrunched up further and he shook his head.

Blaine released the relieved breath that he couldn't remember holding.

It was the first response he'd received from Kurt.

It wasn't… _positive_… but it was something.

"Kurt?" He gently prodded. "Please? Please can you open your eyes?"

Another terrified headshake.

"It's me." Blaine stated softly. "It's Blaine."

Kurt's eyebrows lifted on his forehead and he sucked in a quick breath, but his eyes remained tightly clenched.

Blaine tilted his head to the side curiously.

_Why won't he open his eyes?_

_Why is he still scared?_

_Doesn't he know it's me?_

"Kurt? Please?"

Kurt's face fell. Somehow, he looked ashamed and scared at the same time.

Blaine chewed on his bottom lip.

He wasn't frustrated and he wasn't particularly scared anymore. He could tell that Kurt was still '_in there'_ somewhere, but he was just so unsure as to how to bring him all the way back.

He thought back to the numerous times that Kurt pulled him away from his own darkness.

He'd held his hand, he'd said gentle things, and he'd…

Blaine's eyes flashed open as the perfect vision surrounded him.

He gulped, hoping with all of his strength that he'd be able to make it work as he leaned forward and whispered softly.

"I'm here, Kurt. You're safe."

Blaine closed the distance between himself and Kurt, held his breath, closed his eyes, and gently pressed their foreheads together.

Kurt's heart fluttered the second Blaine's forehead connected with his own.

His chest warmed and the darkness that had been engulfing his mind instantly cleared, like the wind blowing away heavy rainclouds after a storm.

_Blaine?_

_But… How is that even possible?_

_He's… gone._

A pang of heartache shrilled through his core.

_He's gone._

He felt a sense of warmth spread through his body and a soft, gentle humming filled the air.

_Warm._

_Safe._

_Love._

He shouldn't be feeling these things.

_Not now. Not now that he's…_

"Kurt?"

Kurt's mind suddenly stopped spinning.

_Blaine?_

_BlaineBlaineBlaineBlaineBlaine_.

His brain was tumbling… overwhelmed and… intoxicated by the sudden possibility that it was all a dream.

A horrible, horrible dream.

_Is it real?_

_I can't… I… I need this to be real._

_I need him. _

_Please let him be okay._

_I need him to be okay._

"Open your eyes for me."

_Oh god._

_That's Blaine._

_My Blaine._

_He's here._

_He's not… _

_He's… _

_Blaine._

Kurt desperately wanted to open his eyes.

There was a chance… even a small one… that everything was… _okay_.

He could feel Blaine.

He could hear him.

Smell him.

_BlaineBlaineBlaineBlaine._

All he needed to do was open his eyes, and he'd know for sure.

_But… what if…?_

_What if it wasn't real?_

_What if Blaine was really gone?_

_He'd heard the shot._

_He'd felt the blood. _

_Warm and sticky on his face._

_Blaine's blood._

_Because Blaine was…_

"Kurt?"

_Blaine._

_Real Blaine._

_Not dead Blaine._

"Open your eyes, Kurt."

_Blaine._

"Please?"

_Blaine._

"I need you, Kurt."

_Blaine._

_I have to open my eyes._

"Please come back."

_Blaine._

_I need to open my eyes. _

"Kurt?"

_Blaine._

_Blaine._

_Blaine._

He felt a gentle squeeze against his fingers.

_Blaine._

_I need to open my eyes._

Kurt opened his eyes.

The second they focused on the wide hazel ones in front of him Kurt knew it was true.

_Blaine._

Blaine was staring back at him.

_Blaine_.

_His_ Blaine.

He was here.

And he was… _okay_.

But he looked worried.

_Really_ worried.

His eyes were open wide and Kurt noticed dried tear tracks on his hollowed cheeks.

But he was here.

"B-Blaine?" The single most important word in the entire universe stumbled out of Kurt's lips. His voice was broken, weak and filled with emotion, but it didn't matter.

Blaine was okay.

The second his name slipped from Kurt's lips, something inside of Blaine broke wide open. Tears began cascading down his cheeks once again and he nodded quickly, not trusting his voice to speak aloud.

Kurt was back.

The boys stared at each other for several seconds, both taking in the welcomed atmosphere before lunging at each other and forming a tight embrace that they both wished would last forever.

Tears slipped down their cheeks as they tightened their hold on one another.

Blaine sniffled as he tugged Kurt closer.

He'd finally gotten him back.

He was never going to let go again.

After several minutes, Blaine finally peeked his eyes open and for the first time he realized that he and Kurt were not alone.

His breath hitched when he saw that Burt Hummel was standing in the doorway of the living room.

He looked… _concerned_, but not exactly upset.

Blaine wasn't sure if he should let go of Kurt and acknowledge the elder Hummel's presence, he certainly didn't _want_ to, but he also didn't want to give him the wrong impression.

Just as he was about to pull away from Kurt, Blaine noticed Burt give him a reassuring nod.

_Thanks kid._

_You did good._

He'd seen everything.

Blaine gulped but somehow managed to return the nod, just slightly, before Burt turned and soundlessly left the room.

Then he focused his attention back on Kurt and held him even tighter.

_Everything is going to be okay._

* * *

It was several hours later when the phone rang.

After Kurt and Blaine had picked themselves up off the floor and awkwardly made their way back onto the couch without discussing Kurt's most recent episode. They both knew they'd have to… _eventually_… but for now, they were content to just… _be_.

After they'd finished an incredibly awkward dinner with Finn avoiding eye contact with Blaine, who had unfortunately returned to his state of complete silence.

After Burt and Carole had discussed what he'd seen in the living room that afternoon and concluded that it wasn't only Blaine who'd been hurting. Kurt had been acting so brave, so strong, but it was obvious now that his coping mechanisms were exhausted.

They were all in the living room (aside from Finn who'd nonchalantly disappeared immediately following dinner) watching a re-run of '_Friends'_. The shrill ringing of the phone startled all four of them, who, to that point, had been settled in a comfortable silence.

"I'll get it." Burt groaned, climbing to his feet out of his recliner.

He disappeared into the kitchen for several minutes before calling for Carole.

They both returned to the living room a short while later with solemn faces.

"Ummm, Blaine?" Burt started, fumbling with the cordless phone that remained in his grease-stained fingers. "Can we ummm… talk to you for a minute?"

Blaine's heart dropped and he stopped breathing.

_What was going on?_

_Who was on the phone?_

He looked at Kurt briefly before turning his head back to face Burt with a gulp and a subtle nod.

"Do you want me to leave?" Kurt asked in a soft voice.

Blaine immediately shook his head and squeezed Kurt's fingers where they were tangled together under his wolf blanket.

Together, Kurt and Blaine watched as both Burt and Carole approached them and kneeled down in front of where they remained seated on the couch.

"Blaine, honey." Carole began. "That was your doctor's office on the phone."

Blaine's eyes widened and he felt his stomach clench uncomfortably.

Kurt felt Blaine tense up and immediately shuffled closer to him on the couch and squeezed his fingers encouragingly.

"Dad?" He asked. "Wh-what is it?"

Burt took a deep breath as he leaned forward and carefully squeezed Blaine's knee.

"They… ummm… they got your test results back."

Blaine's face fell.

_Oh god._

_The tests._

_With everything going on… he'd almost forgotten._

He couldn't even look at the man in front of him.

He suddenly felt a burning desire to release Kurt's hold on his fingers.

A thick wave of guilt and shame flooded his veins and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

_I'm sick._

_They're not going to want me here anymore._

_I'll have to leave._

_I have to go away._

"I… I… understand." Blaine said sadly. "I'll leave right away."

A collective gasp echoed through the living room and he felt Kurt squeeze his hand firmly under the blanket.

"You aren't leaving Blaine." Kurt exclaimed anxiously. "I won't let…"

"Blaine!" Carole cried simultaneously. "Honey! You don't understand…"

"They were negative!" Burt filled in excitedly.

Blaine felt numb.

_What?_

_Negative?_

_But…_

"You'll have to be re-tested in a little while but for right now, everything looks clean sweetheart." Carole explained with a relieved smile. "You're not sick."

Beside him, Kurt squeaked an inhumanly high-pitched noise.

Blaine still didn't understand.

_I'm… okay?_

_I…_

_I'm not… sick._

_I'm not sick._

He felt as though the heaviness that had been weighing him down was suddenly gone.

Tears stung the corners of his eyes as his heart filled with emotion.

Kurt squeezed his hand under the blanket once again and looked at Blaine with wide, excited eyes.

"You're okay." He declared dazedly, tears sliding down his pale cheeks. "You're okay!"

As hard as he tried, Blaine couldn't prevent his own tears from slipping down his cheeks.

He looked up and saw that both Carole and Burt also had tear tracks on their faces.

Everyone was crying.

There was more relief with every tear.

* * *

Later that night, when the boys had washed up and prepared themselves for bed, Kurt routinely walked over to Blaine's bedroom door to secure the lock when the shorter teen stopped him.

"Maybe we can leave it open tonight?"

Kurt looked shocked at Blaine's words, but nodded before returning to the bed and climbing under the covers with Blaine.

Together, they stared up the stars on Blaine's ceiling until he finally broke the silence some time later.

"I don't wanna hide anymore."


	36. I need your help

**Hello my amazing and supportive readers!**

As we speak, I am currently working away at the next chapter of 'Underneath'…

This is just a little note to tell you all how thankful I am to have each and every one of you reading my story. Your follows/favorites, messages, and reviews have filled me to the brim with hope and courage. I appreciate you all giving me the time I need to continue with this project. I know it's been a long and sometimes annoying wait between chapters and for that I apologize. Please just hear me when I promise you that I will never give up on 'Underneath'. Ever.

On that note – I do have a teeny favor to ask of you. I've had several reviews and messages from readers regarding the summary of 'Underneath' and how it does not properly outline what the story is about. I will admit, that the progress of the storyline has dramatically changed from when I first began writing it over a year ago. It has gotten dramatically darker at times, but also the relationship between Kurt and Blaine is so strong. Unbreakable.

**It's time for a change. And I'm looking at you for your Klaine fanfiction expertise. **

So here is what I'm asking:

I would like to invite you, my loyal and incredible readers, to leave a review to this posting with what **YOU** think the summary for 'Underneath' should say, based on the events of the story thus far. I will review each of the submissions and pick the one I think best fits where the story is headed and I'll use it as the official summary.

Does that sound like a decent plan? You guys and gals all mean so much to me, I would just like to offer you any means of '_thank you'_ that I can.

I really look forward to reading each of your own personal interpretations of 'Underneath' and what it really _means _to you.

Anyways…

I'm excited to see what you can come up with for ideas. Please keep in mind that there is a **maximum of 385 characters allowed** (including trigger warnings, etc.)

* * *

Here is the current summary:

_Kurt Hummel has been hiding himself under layers of clothing. Hiding his personality, his fears, his doubts and his heart. Blaine Anderson is a football player with a tough exterior and a secret. When their paths cross, will they be able to shed the layers and expose their true selves to each other? __**Rated R for Violence, Coarse Language and Sexually Explicit Scenes**_

* * *

Happy writing everyone!

Love,

Ryleigh


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